HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Pondering he would possibly have a possibility for a playoff, Jordan Spieth rolled in a 10-foot birdie at the 18th hollow in legislation. He made a fair larger shot at Habour The city’s signature hollow in a playoff to win the RBC Heritage.
Spieth’s 56-foot shot from a greenside bunker stopped 7 inches away and he beat Patrick Cantlay with a tap-in par Sunday at the lighthouse hollow for his thirteenth profession PGA Excursion identify — and 2nd instantly on Easter Sunday.
Once in a while, Spieth mentioned, there is a event the place you are feeling you will have performed smartly, but now not excellent sufficient to win. “I truthfully felt like this was once that week,” he mentioned with a smile. “I wished numerous issues to move proper.”
And he were given all of them.
Spieth, at 13 below after his 5-under 66, completed 4 teams forward of Cantlay and waited out the stellar box that had a number of probabilities to tie or transfer in entrance. However all aside from Cantlay may just now not chase down Spieth, who stayed clear of gazing an excessive amount of of the motion as soon as he completed.
“Each and every unmarried putt seems love it’s moving into,” Spieth mentioned. “It was once far more anxious than in fact enjoying.”
Spieth was once sure he’d get handed by way of Cantlay, the FedEx Cup champion; previous British Open winner Shane Lowry or third-round chief Harold Varner III. When all 3 parred the par-5, fifteenth, the most productive probability for birdie at the again 9, Spieth felt his probabilities give a boost to.
When Spieth completed, he was once a stroke at the back of Shane Lowry. However Lowry’s chip at the par-3 14th raced around the inexperienced and into the water, resulting in double bogey. He completed a stroke again after a 69.
After Cantlay, tied for the lead after a birdie at the seventeenth, hit his method at the inexperienced on his ultimate hollow of legislation, Spieth headed out to relax, sure he’d be known as again after Cantley made the profitable putt.
As an alternative, Cantlay slid it by way of proper to arrange the playoff.
Within the playoff, Cantlay additionally hit into the entrance bunker, together with his lie taking a look like a fried egg. He blasted 35 toes previous the cup and neglected the par putt.
Cantlay was once 179 yards from the opening within the playoff and used a 9-iron as he did a short while previous in legislation. This shot, got here up wanting the fairway and in an terrible place.
“Clearly, with it plugged like that, it is darn close to not possible to get it shut,” Cantlay mentioned.
3 strokes at the back of Varner getting into the around, Spieth eagled each front-nine par 5s to get into the combo.
Spieth had received his final match, the Valero Texas Open, on Easter to finish a four-year winless drought.
Subsequent Easter Sunday? The overall around of the Masters.
“That is excellent vibes,” mentioned Spieth, a three-time principal champion.
Cam Davis (63) additionally was once a stroke again with Varner (70), J.T. Poston (64), Cameron Younger (66), Sepp Straka (68), Matt Kuchar (68).
Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., was once the highest Canadian within the box, completing in a tie for twelfth after he shot a final-round 69. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., additionally shot a 69 and completed the event in a tie for twenty sixth. Surrey B.C.’s Adam Svensson completed in a tie for twenty sixth after he shot a 71 Sunday. Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C. shot a 73 and ended his event in a tie for 59th.
Spieth has received from the bunker ahead of. He beat Daniel Berger with greenside bunker shot on first further hollow on the 2017 Vacationers Championship.
Others but even so Cantlay, who neglected a 15-footer for birdie on his 72nd hollow, had a possibility to catch Spieth. Straka tied Spieth at 13 below with a birdie at the seventeenth, then bogeyed the overall hollow after his method discovered some gnarly lengthy grass in entrance of the fairway. Varner had birdie probabilities on every of his final 4 holes, but may just now not convert any of them.
Spieth took off with the early eagles. On the second one hollow, he holed out from a greenside bunker. At the 5th hollow, he reached the fairway in two and rolled in a 24-footer because the gallery erupted in cheers.
Spieth reached 13 below with a birdie at the 8th ahead of falling again to 11 below with bogeys at the 9th and eleventh. He moved into putting place with a birdie at the thirteenth, then struck his solution to the drama-filled lighthouse hollow to ten toes and posted at 13 below.
He got here on this week stricken about lacking the minimize final week at Augusta Nationwide. “I hated it,” he mentioned. “It was once the worst feeling. It was once the worst feeling as a golfer than I will be able to have in mind.”
That grew to become round at Harbour The city in entrance a contented, sold-out crowd that Spieth mentioned was once four-deep right through his pro-am around Wednesday.
“I used to be in fact very stunned by way of the volume of beef up that everybody had this week, and I felt numerous it in my opinion,” Spieth mentioned. “Those crowds have been simply unbelievable for it being a non-major.”
Spieth had handiest performed the event thrice since 2015 as it falls after the at all times grueling Masters week.
“What an ideal event to win,” Spieth mentioned. “It is an excellent golfing route.”
