Mark Hensby wins playoff at Invited Celebrity Classic

 

[April 24, 2023]  Mark Hensby of Australia defeated Charlie Wi of South Korea on the fourth playoff hole to win the Invited Celebrity Classic on Sunday night in Irving, Texas.

Hensby and Wi traded pars on the first three playoff holes before Wi landed in a penalty area on the par-5 18th at Las Colinas Country Club and wound up with a double bogey. Hensby stuck his third shot near the pin and cleaned up a par to win for the first time on the PGA Tour Champions.

Hensby, 51, had considered retiring from golf over the winter. He had conditional status on the PGA Tour Champions and finished second at the Trophy Hassan II in Morocco.

Now, he will have full membership on the tour and rise to third in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

"Obviously after last year I wasn't going to play anymore, and then coming out and having a good start this year, it's nice to obviously win on this tour," Hensby said. "I think when you win anywhere these days, it's an accomplishment. Yeah, I'm happy. I mean, I'm tired today but happy. I didn't have my best today, but overall it was exciting."

Hensby won just once on the PGA Tour -- the 2004 John Deere Classic -- and once on the then-European Tour -- the 2005 Scandinavian Masters.

Hensby entered the day one stroke off the pace and shot a 1-under 70 to get to 12-under 201 for the tournament. He had to make a short birdie putt at the 18th to force the playoff.

Wi had a roller-coaster type of day. He eagled the par-5 third hole and went out in 3-under 33. Birdies at Nos. 11 and 12 got him to 14 under, but he came back to the pack with a bogey at the par-3 13th, a double bogey at the par-4 15th and another bogey at the par-4 16th.

However, Wi birdied his last two holes to get back to 10 under, forcing Hensby to catch him.

"I didn't look at the board until 16 and then I saw I was tied for the lead, and to be honest I didn't think I was anywhere near it," Hensby said. "Then when I got on 18 and I probably hit the best shot of the day when I had to because I saw Charlie made birdie."

Hensby's second shot on the first playoff hole, played at the par-5 18th, barely cleared the water hazard and did not stay up, rolling back into the drink. But he managed to get up and down for par, matching Wi's par to keep the playoff going.

Alex Cejka of Germany, who held the lead after two rounds, shot 72 and finished one stroke out of the playoff at 11 under. Jerry Kelly (67) and Australia's Richard Green (65, tied for low round of the day) tied for fourth at 10 under.

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won the celebrity division of the event.

--Field Level Media

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