Garcia trumps Koepka in playoff

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bruced
May 23, 2016

Sergio Garcia only needed one playoff hole to see off Brooks Koepka and claim the AT&T Byron Nelson title on Sunday.

Garcia, who matched Seve Ballesteros for the most wins by a Spanish-born player after claiming his ninth PGA Tour victory, made par at the par-four 18th while Koepka slumped to a double bogey after finding the water with his tee shot before his approach fell short of the green.

Koepka, who finished tied with Garcia on 15-under, held a two-shot lead heading into the final round, but a disappointing one-over-par 71 blew his chance of victory. Koepka made two birdies and a bogey on the front nine, but the back-to-back double bogeys at the 14th and 15th after errand drives dropped him level with Garcia.

The 26-year-old had a chance to salvage a win at the 18th, but his 15-foot birdie putt was just off target.

Garcia, who won the tournament in 2004, began his round in -up-and-down fashion, with an early birdie followed by two bogeys., However, he turned his fortunes around with a hat-trick of birdies from the fifth to seventh. Heading into the back nine, Garcia made two birdies and two bogeys and had two chances to take the lead and claim victory, but his 11-foot birdie putt at the 17th came up agonisingly short of the cup, while his 12-foot birdie putt at the 18th fell two feet short.

Garcia and Koepka finished one stroke ahead of Matt Kuchar, who fired a one-under-par 69, which consisted of three birdies and two bogeys.

Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth plummeted down the leaderboard after registering a 74. The world number two began with a birdie and three bogeys on the front nine. The local favourite was unable to turn his fortunes around on the back nine as he mirrored his performance on the front nine, making a birdie and three more bogeys.

With his win, Garcia has once again put himself firmly in the reckoning for a Ryder Cup spot.