Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Blogs:
Akrocentric:
Raw Umber event; Charles Taormina discusses our culture's fledgling publishing renaissance
Akron Aeros:
Borowski pitches one inning, declares self ready to return to Tribe
Akron Zips:
Three new recruiting targets
All Da King's Men:
Obama Abandons Reality
Balanced Ledger:
Spring football
Blog of Mass Destruction:
GOP Trainwreck Ahead
BokBluster:
Blind Justice
Browns Bulletin:
Winslow will participate in minicamps
Cleveland Browns:
Corners take another hit
Cleveland Cavaliers:
The Aftermath
Kent State Sports:
MAC Baseball awards announced
Ohio Politics:
Clinton Democrats Are Not Voting For John McCain
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Are there ferries out to Pelee Island?
Olympic Dreams - Running:
When Rest is Best
Patrick McManamon:
The Browns lose Daven Holly in 'non-contact' work …
Sound Check:
Vodcast: Cook wins Idol
Tia's Trends:
Spring Retail Convention Recap
The Heldenfiles:
Final American Idol Vodcast
The Sports Blitz:
Cleveland Browns - They Love Them! They Really, Really Love Them!
Varsity Letters:
Revere club Rugby falls short in city championships
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.
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.

