Spieth set to move to 11th in the FedExCup standings after defeating Cantlay at first extra play-off hole; Shane Lowry and overnight leader Harold Varner III among the group of seven players finishing tied-third
Monday 18 April 2022 11:15, UK
Jordan Spieth secured a maiden victory of the season with a dramatic play-off win over Patrick Cantlay at the RBC Heritage.
Spieth overturned a three-stroke deficit on a thrilling final day at Harbour Town Golf Links, eagling two of his first five holes on his way to posting a five-under 66 and setting the clubhouse target at 13 under.
Cantlay moved alongside his Ryder Cup teammate after a final-round 68, before Spieth snatched the title with a brilliant up-and-down from the greenside bunker for a winning par at the first extra play-off hole.
Shane Lowry led with five holes remaining but found water on his way to a double-bogey at the par-three 14th, with the Irishman ending the week as one of seven players in a share of third.
Spieth started his charge by following a hole-out eagle from a bunker at the second with a 25-foot eagle at the par-five fifth, with a 15-foot birdie at the eighth then lifting him into a share of the lead.
The three-time major champion fell two behind after a close-range bogey at the ninth, having had to pitch sideways out of a bunker towards a grandstand and then failing to get up and down from off the green, with more than a dozen players in contention during a gripping Sunday.
Harold Varner III went into the final round with a one-shot lead but had lost his overnight advantage before he even teed off, with Cam Davis making eight birdies in his first 15 holes on his way to setting the initial clubhouse target at 12 under.
Erik van Rooyen briefly went two clear after four consecutive birdies on his front nine and bounced back from birdieing the eighth to pick up a shot at the next to reach turn one ahead, while Sepp Straka made five birdies in a six-hole stretch from the fifth to temporarily grab a share of the lead.
Spieth lost further ground when he missed from five feet at the 11th but rolled in from 12 feet at the 13th to get back within two, while a 10-foot birdie at the last saw him set the new target at 13 under with plenty of players still out on the course.
Lowry posted three straight birdies from the fourth and jumped into the solo lead with a 20-foot birdie at the 11th, with clutch saves over his next two holes then undone with the double-bogey at the 14th that dropped him back to 12 under.
Cantlay responded to a three-putt bogey at the 14th by birdieing his penultimate hole to pull level with Spieth, although he then missed a 12-foot birdie opportunity on the final green that would've been enough for victory.
Lowry and Varner failed to find birdies over the closing stretch, while Straka cancelled out a 35-foot birdie at the 17th with a bogey at the last, leaving the trio a shot behind alongside Davis, Cameron Young, JT Poston and Matt Kuchar.
The leading duo returned to the 18th hole for the play-off, where Cantlay failed to get up and down from a plugged lie in the greenside bunker and Spieth produced a spectacular sand save to claim a 13th PGA Tour victory.
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