Keegan Bradley outlasted compatriot Jason Dufner in a play-off to claim the 93rd USPGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club.
American edges out Dufner in play-off to secure USPGA crown
American Keegan Bradley outlasted compatriot Jason Dufner in a play-off to claim the 93rd USPGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club on Sunday.
In doing so, Bradley became the first player to win on his debut appearance in a major since Ben Curtis at Sandwich in 2003, and only the third player to do so in the history of the game.
At one point Dufner had looked a certain winner as he pulled into a five-shot lead with just four holes to play after closest rival Bradley had carded a triple-bogey six after charging a chip across the green and into the creek at the 15th.
But the 25-year-old produced a terrific response to birdie both 16 and 17 on his way to posting a clubhouse target of eight-under-par.
Dufner, who had cut a supremely composed figure during the final round, then also came to strife over the tough closing stretch at the Highlands course as he carded three consecutive bogeys at 15, 16 and 17 to join Bradley at eight-under.
To his credit, the 34-year-old made a brave par down the last to force a three-hole play-off.
Spectacular birdie
But having made a spectacular birdie at the first of those holes, the 16th, Bradley was always in charge and had the cushion of a two-shot lead as they made their way down the 18th and final hole for a second time.
There a defiant Dufner managed to produce a fine birdie of his own, but Bradley kept his cool to record a solid two-putt par that was good enough to secure his a maiden major triumph.
Dufner's late stumble in regulation play came something of a surprise given that over the first three days of competition he was three-under-par for holes 15 to 18 - two better than anybody else in the field.
But they got him in the end, as they got just about everybody else at some stage.
Anders Hansen of Denmark was left to rue a costly bogey at 16, the only blemish of a superb final round of 66, as he finished just one shot behind the leaders at seven-under-par on his own in third.
Robert Karlsson was yet another to come unstuck, the Swede had produced a sensational charge to get himself to nine-under-par and right in the shake-up, but he closed with three straight bogeys to finish in a share of fourth alongside Americans David Toms (67) and Scott Verplank (70).
Disappointment for English duo
With Adam Scott alone in seventh following a closing 68, English duo Luke Donald and Lee Westwood finished joint-eighth, their late errors in the third round proving too much to recover from.
World number one Donald, so annoyed at himself for double-bogeying the last hole of his third round and falling six behind, was only three back after playing his first 12 holes in four-under.
But he too went in the water on the short 15th and would go on to bogey the last as well on his way to a 68.
Westwood suffered the same fate at the last, although it proved his only bogey of another day characterised by frustration on the greens.
The world number two missed short birdie chances at the second and fifth holes as he failed to build up the early momentum he so desperately needed to generate a realistic challenge.
There were top-20 finishes for South African duo Charl Schwartzel and Trevor Immelman and Spain's Sergio Garcia, while an expected final round push from Steve Stricker failed to materialise as he also finished seven back at one-under.
Further down the field Londoner Brian Davis finished level-par, Ian Poulter four-over, Ross Fisher five-over, Simon Dyson six-over and Paul Casey 14-over.
