Rookie Ernst wins first title in playoff
Source: Agencies |
May 7, 2013, Tuesday
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ROOKIE Derek Ernst won the Wells Fargo Championship in a playoff with a par on the 18th hole on Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The 22-year-old shot a 2-under 70 to force a playoff with David Lynn of England, who also had a 70.
Returning to the 18th in the playoff, as the rain started pelting down, Ernst hit a 3-iron to about 15 feet left of the flag that set up his stunning victory.
Phil Mickelson had a one-shot lead with three holes to play until making back-to-back bogeys, missing putts of 6 feet and 10 feet. His 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th narrowly missed, and Mickelson closed with a 73.
"I felt like I was in control, and I let it slip away there the last few holes, so it was disappointing," Mickelson said.
So ended a strange week at Quail Hollow. The greens were shockingly bad due to weather and agronomical issues, which led to several players dropping out. The sun never really came out all week, and the wind chill on Sunday morning made it hard to believe it was the first weekend in May.
Final holes take a toll
Ernst was playing only his ninth PGA Tour event. He was ranked No. 1,207 in the world before the event.
"It's just unbelievable," said Ernst. "This feeling is incredible. My heart's beating a million miles an hour."
Early in the final round, the leaderboard featured Mickelson and Nick Watney at the top, with McIlroy and Lee Westwood right behind.
When it was over, the winner was Ernst, who grew up in the central valley of California and has cloudy vision out of his right eye from a freak accident as a kid, when a piece of plastic pipe sliced into his eyeball and required 10 stitches.
"I've never heard of him," Lynn said. "He's a nice player. He said he was 180th on the FedEx Cup list when we were chatting on the way around. He played super. I mean, he could have won it quite easily in regular play. He played the finish really solid, and then he hit two really solid shots in the playoff. So every credit to him. Well done."
Robert Karlsson, the Swede who now lives in Charlotte, needed a birdie on the last hole to get into the playoff but made bogey for a 72. That left him in a tie for fourth with Westwood, who was tied for the lead until back-to-back bogeys early on the back nine.
McIlroy was one shot behind when he double bogeyed the 12th hole. He shot 73 and tied for 10th.
The 22-year-old shot a 2-under 70 to force a playoff with David Lynn of England, who also had a 70.
Returning to the 18th in the playoff, as the rain started pelting down, Ernst hit a 3-iron to about 15 feet left of the flag that set up his stunning victory.
Phil Mickelson had a one-shot lead with three holes to play until making back-to-back bogeys, missing putts of 6 feet and 10 feet. His 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th narrowly missed, and Mickelson closed with a 73.
"I felt like I was in control, and I let it slip away there the last few holes, so it was disappointing," Mickelson said.
So ended a strange week at Quail Hollow. The greens were shockingly bad due to weather and agronomical issues, which led to several players dropping out. The sun never really came out all week, and the wind chill on Sunday morning made it hard to believe it was the first weekend in May.
Final holes take a toll
Ernst was playing only his ninth PGA Tour event. He was ranked No. 1,207 in the world before the event.
"It's just unbelievable," said Ernst. "This feeling is incredible. My heart's beating a million miles an hour."
Early in the final round, the leaderboard featured Mickelson and Nick Watney at the top, with McIlroy and Lee Westwood right behind.
When it was over, the winner was Ernst, who grew up in the central valley of California and has cloudy vision out of his right eye from a freak accident as a kid, when a piece of plastic pipe sliced into his eyeball and required 10 stitches.
"I've never heard of him," Lynn said. "He's a nice player. He said he was 180th on the FedEx Cup list when we were chatting on the way around. He played super. I mean, he could have won it quite easily in regular play. He played the finish really solid, and then he hit two really solid shots in the playoff. So every credit to him. Well done."
Robert Karlsson, the Swede who now lives in Charlotte, needed a birdie on the last hole to get into the playoff but made bogey for a 72. That left him in a tie for fourth with Westwood, who was tied for the lead until back-to-back bogeys early on the back nine.
McIlroy was one shot behind when he double bogeyed the 12th hole. He shot 73 and tied for 10th.
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