|
 Kaufman, playing some two hours ahead of the overnight leaders, shot
a bogey-free 10-under-par 61, sinking his winning birdie putt from
20 feet at the par-four 18th at TPC Summerlin in the Nevada desert.
He finished at 16-under-par 268, one stroke ahead of six players,
including former champion Kevin Na (67), whose 15-foot birdie chance
at the last shaved the hole, and overnight leader Brett Stegmaier
(69).
Stegmaier also missed a good birdie opportunity at the last.
Kaufman, a 23-year-old from Alabama playing in just his fifth PGA
Tour event, collected $1.152 million, along with an invitation to
next April's Masters.
It was the mention of the latter, rather than the money, that
reduced Smylie almost to tears.
"I can’t put it into words," he told Golf Channel, his voice
cracking with emotion.
"I’ve been hitting it so good the last two days. I just wanted to
give myself a chance and post a number.
"I dodged a lot of bullets coming down the stretch. Just thankful to
get the W."
The long wait to see whether his score would hold up had been way
more stressful than his round.
"I feel like I’ve been watching an LSU (Louisiana State University)
football game," he said, referring to his alma mater.
Kaufman, whose middle name is Smylie -- his first name is Carter --
continues a trend of young tour winners. The past six events have
been won by players 27 or younger.
[to top of second column] |
Na, meanwhile, could only lament another near-miss, after losing a
playoff in the season-opener last week.
He seemed poised for another playoff until he bogeyed the par-three
17th, after a poor chip that he was trying to hole from 25 feet.
"I felt it was a good position to chip it in. The lie was almost
sitting up too good," said Na, who posted his eighth runner-up
finish on tour. His lone tour victory came in Las Vegas four years
ago.
Tour rookie Stegmaier also rued what might have been, having shared
the lead after 36 holes and held it outright after 54.
"Can’t be too disappointed but certainly now it stings a little
bit," he said.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Larry
Fine / Ian Ransom)
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