Howell III holds on for wire-to-wire RSM Classic win
An emotional Charles Howell III overcame a disastrous start to his final round to defeat Patrick Rodgers in a playoff and win his first PGA Tour tournament in nearly 12 years at the RSM Classic in Georgia on Sunday.
After a bad start to Sunday that saw Howell drop three shots in the first three holes, the American recovered to shoot a three-under-par-67 to get to 19-under for the event.
On Sunday, Charles Howell III ended the longest drought between TOUR wins. He needed two extra holes at @TheRSMClassic to do it.
Highlights from Round 4: pic.twitter.com/pjEsjDV0Pa
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 19, 2018
That was enough for a play-off with Rodgers who fired a sparkling eight-under-par-62.
At the second time of replaying the 18th, Howell holed a 20-foot birdie putt to edge out his countryman.
Playoff.
Highlights from Sunday @TheRSMClassic: pic.twitter.com/BU8kOLGzjN
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 19, 2018
The triumph ends Howell’s 4,291-day wait for a PGA Tour win.
“Quite honestly, I didn’t know if I would ever win one again,” Howell said afterwards.
“I had come up short so many times.
“The things that I’ve been working on and practicing held up. In the playoff, I was able to hit nice drives off that tee in a left-to-right crosswind.
“I was able to hit a nice eight-iron on 17 in regulation to make birdie.
“That bit means more to me than beating somebody.”
Howell has now started 529 PGA Tour events.
Only two men needed more starts before winning for the third time.
Latest
-
European TourDavid Lipsky leads four Scots at Leopard Creek
David Lipsky fired a bogey-free 66 to grab the second-round lead at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.
-
Staysure TourLehman leads season-ending MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles
After a day of weather disruption former World No 1 Tom Lehman led the field in the Staysure Tour’s season finale at Constance Lemuria.
-
Asian TourRose loses ground in Indonesia as Saksansin grabs lead
Poom Saksansin broke his personal best with a nine-under-par 63 to take the second-round clubhouse lead at the Indonesian Masters.
-
NewsHere are all the new golf rules coming into effect in 2019
The USGA and R&A are preparing to introduce a whole host of new rules aimed at making the game faster, fairer and simpler in 2019.
-
NewsGreg Norman slams Tiger-Phil match, supports mixed gender events
Some people loved ‘The Match’ between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, others hated it, and you can put Greg Norman firmly in the second camp.
-
European TourBirdie blitz puts Bekker in command at Leopard Creek
Local favourite Oliver Bekker leads the way after the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Malelane.
-
Asian TourStrong start for Rose at weather-hit Indonesian Open
American John Catlin shares the first-round clubhouse lead with Sungho Lee of Korea at the BNI Indonesian Masters, but Justin Rose is lurking just one shot back.
-
European TourJustin Rose supports Rory McIlroy’s European Tour snub
Rory McIlroy has annoyed a few European Tour colleagues following his decision to relocate to the USA and give up his tour card.
-
US TourKevin Kisner on Patrick Reed: They all hate him
Patrick Reed certainly isn’t in the business of endearing himself to anybody, as veteran PGA Tour pro Kevin Kisner points out.
-
Staysure TourPreview of the MCB Tour Championship – Seychelles
Matt Cooper reports from the final tournament of the 2018 Staysure Tour season hosted by Constance Lemuria in the Seychelles.