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After both players made difficult par saves on their second
playoff hole, they headed to TPC Southwind's par-3 11th, where a
water hazard lies in front of the green. Zalatoris' tee shot
landed short, bounced side to side and eventually came to rest
on the brick facade separating land and water.
But Straka hit an even poorer tee shot, glancing off a grass
berm and into the water. He had to take a drop, landed his next
shot in a bunker and finally hit the green on his fourth shot.
That meant Zalatoris, ranked No. 14 in the world entering the
week, didn't need to swing from the bricks. He took a penalty
stroke, went to the drop area, landed his third shot about 8
feet from the hole and saved bogey to beat Straka.
"It was a grind," Zalatoris said through tears on the NBC
broadcast. "This week I didn't have my best stuff on Thursday
and just kept telling (caddie Joel Stock), just keep waiting
till the weekend. To kind of see that decision pay off at the
last is pretty cool."
Zalatoris, who turns 26 Tuesday, is best known for several close
misses at major championships early in his career. He finished
second at the 2021 Masters before he was technically a full PGA
Tour member. This year, he finished second at the PGA
Championship by losing to Justin Thomas in a playoff and tied
for second at the U.S. Open.
Zalatoris is also known as a shaky putter from short distances,
but he rolled in a 10-foot par putt at the par-4 18th hole to
cap off a 4-under 66 and head to the clubhouse at 15-under 265.
With Straka one hole behind him on the course and Zalatoris
missing the fairway off the tee, it was a must-have par save.
Straka missed a long birdie putt to win the tournament in
regulation and settled for a 3-under 67 to tie Zalatoris at 15
under. They finished three shots ahead of Lucas Glover (66
Sunday) and Brian Harman (67).
Both Zalatoris and Straka parred the 18th for the first playoff
hole and returned to the tee to play it again. Zalatoris missed
far right while Straka's shot barely avoided water to the left
and settled in the rough.
Zalatoris laid up into the fairway, while Straka briefly
considered playing the shot while standing in the water before
electing to take a drop and a penalty stroke. His third shot
stuck about 6 feet from the pin.
Zalatoris' third shot also found the green and he made a longer
par save. Straka followed with his putt to keep the playoff
going.
Straka was seeking his second PGA Tour title after winning the
Honda Classic in February.
"This course is where every shot you hit you're on the edge of
your seat. Add the nerves of competing for a tournament to that,
especially a playoff event," Straka said. "It can get a little
crazy."
Zalatoris birdied his first three holes and finished his round
with five birdies and one bogey. Straka caught up to him at 14
under with birdies at Nos. 10 and 12 before they each added one
more birdie down the stretch.
Only the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings will move on
to next week's BMW Championship in Wilmington, Del. Glover rang
up four of his seven birdies on the back nine to make a late
charge and ensure his spot in Wilmington; with his T3 finish,
he's projected to move from No. 121 to No. 34 in the standings.
"It's nice," Glover said. "Kind of similar situation a couple
years ago and had, you know, one and a half good weeks and ended
up in (the Tour Championship). That was kind of in the back of
my head and thought, you know, just got to get to the next week
and then everybody's got a shot."
A large tie for fifth at 11 under included Adam Scott of
Australia (66), Jon Rahm of Spain (66), Matt Fitzpatrick of
England (68), Collin Morikawa (67), Tony Finau (68), Andrew
Putnam (68) and Trey Mullinax (70). Scott (77th to 45th), Putnam
(87th to 47th) and Mullinax (70th to 40th) played their ways
into the BMW.
Those on the wrong side of the line include India's Anirban
Lahiri (63rd to 71st after missing the cut) and Brendon Todd
(68th to 74th after finishing in 67th place).
--Field Level Media
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