Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Complaints against officer keep coming
Police: Ohio girl dies after fall into snow bank
Region makes way for latest batch of snow; cancellations rise
Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Law, Love and Chocolate
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
OFCCP Report
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Spaniard forces playoff and beats Paul Goydos with a clutch par putt
By Doug Ferguson
Associated Press
Published on Monday, May 12, 2008
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA.: Sergio Garcia, the best player without a major, got the next best thing Sunday.
Garcia ended the longest victory drought of his career by making a clutch par putt to force a playoff and hitting the island- green 17th on the first extra hole to defeat Paul Goydos in the Players Championship.
Haunted by putting problems that kept him without a victory the past three years and 53 PGA Tour events, Garcia came up with a 45-foot birdie on the 14th to get back in the game and a 7-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 1-under 71.
Goydos, playing in the final group, missed a 15-foot par putt on the last hole for the win. He closed with a 74.
It was the first playoff at the Players since 1987, and the first time the PGA Tour opted to start it on the most notorious par 3 in golf. The shot was only 128 yards, but in wind that blasted 30 mph throughout the day, to a green surrounded by water.
What a bad coincidence for Goydos — he was the first to hit into the water when the tournament began Thursday, and the last player to go into the water at the worst time. His wedge came up short, and when Goydos saw the splash, he looked to the sky.
Garcia still faced the pressure of finding land, and his wedge hit the middle of the green and rolled to 4 feet. He missed the birdie putt, the one time it didn't matter. He could have taken three putts from there and still won.
Goydos wound up making double bogey, the end of a dream week in which his dry humor and honest perspective finally had an audience.
''It's been a lot of work,'' Garcia said, clutching the crystal trophy. ''It feels like the last three years I've been playing well. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to come around and win. This week, I played so nicely. It felt like everything was so hard. I'm just thrilled the week is over and I managed to finish on top.''
Garcia and Goydos finished at 5-under 283.
The 28-year-old Spaniard, whose seven PGA Tour victories are the most by players under age 30, earned $1.71 million from the richest purse in golf and again enters the conversation as a major contender with the U.S. Open a month away.
Goydos overcame five bogeys with two unlikely birdies, a 50-footer on No. 4 and chipping in from 100 feet on No. 10. Garcia wouldn't go away, however, coming up with key putts for a chance, and one shot that only had to hit land.
In the first playoff of his 16-year career, Goydos was extraordinarily gracious in a defeat so difficult that he tripped over his words.
He patted Garcia on the back as they walked to the island green, congratulating him.
And he offered no excuses.
''Look at the shot Sergio hit in the playoff,'' Goydos said. ''I got beat. I played good golf. That doesn't mean you win. There's no defense. I can't tackle the little guy. There's no knee-capping. You have to accept the guy beat me.
''They key is to have the lead with no holes to go.''
The consolation for Goydos was $1.026 million for second place, more than he earned for winning the Sony Open last year.
Jeff Quinney had a chance to join the playoff. He went bogey-free for 10 holes in gusts that topped 40 mph at times, but failed to save par from a bunker behind the 18th green and had to settle for a 70 and third place alone, one shot behind.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA.: Sergio Garcia, the best player without a major, got the next best thing Sunday.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
