Nick Taylor emerges victorious in eventful WM Phoenix Open playoff following disruptions caused by rowdy crowd
Canada’s Nick Taylor Completes Dramatic Comeback to Win WM Phoenix Open in Playoff
In a thrilling display of skill and determination, Canada’s own Nick Taylor emerged victorious at the WM Phoenix Open after an intense playoff. The event, held at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona, was not without its fair share of crowd trouble.
With only four holes left to play and trailing by three shots, the 35-year-old golfer showed remarkable resilience as he unleashed a flurry of birdies. His magnificent nine-foot putt on the final hole forced American Charley Hoffman into a playoff with both players tied at 21-under overall.
The tension rose as both competitors birdied the first replayed hole. Ultimately, it was Taylor who prevailed by achieving another birdie on their subsequent attempt. This marked his fourth PGA Tour title and earned him an impressive $1.58 million in prize money.
This victory is reminiscent of Taylor’s previous triumph just months ago at the RBC Canadian Open where he secured the win with a jaw-dropping 72-foot eagle putt. The memory still fresh in his mind from that momentous occasion, he attributed his late-game focus and success to past experiences.
Taylor expressed his relief that this time around no security mishaps occurred during the celebrations following his win: “He [Hadwin] dodged security this time, so it’s good.” He also reflected on how these pressure-filled moments bring out his best performance: “For whatever reason it is, the later it gets, I just seem to get a little more locked in and zoned in and kind of relish those moments.”
While Hoffman narrowly missed out on his fifth PGA Tour victory, defending champion Scottie Scheffler finished tied-third alongside Sam Burns. Scheffler had been aiming for a rare hat-trick of wins at the same event, following in the footsteps of Steve Stricker who achieved this feat at the John Deere Classic in 2011.
The WM Phoenix Open is notorious for its passionate atmosphere, often referred to as “the people’s Open.” However, this year’s tournament was marred by various crowd-related incidents throughout the week.
One fan suffered injuries after falling at the 16th hole during Friday’s second round. Prompt medical attention was provided by Scottsdale fire and bike team paramedics who safely transported the injured spectator to a local medical center for evaluation.
The par-three 16th hole is known for its rowdy behavior from fans with past instances including showering players with drink cans when celebrating exceptional shots. To prevent further incidents like Mexican golfer Carlos Ortiz being struck by a beer can last year after hitting a hole-in-one, over a million beers were sold during this edition of the tournament – all served in plastic cups.
In another bizarre incident on Saturday, one individual hurdled ropes and dove into a greenside bunker on the infamous 16th hole before proceeding to perform “snow angels.” Such peculiar occurrences highlight both the puzzling nature and discontinuity that unfolded during this year’s competition.