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SPORTS Monday 26 June 2017
Jordan Spieth holes bunker

shot to win Travelers playoff

By PAT EATON-ROBB fairway bunker. Spieth’s 1985.
AP Sports Writer drive clipped a tree to the Charley Hoffman (66) and
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) left and landed in the fair- Danny Lee (67) tied for
— Jordan Spieth needed way, but about 150 yards third, three strokes back.
an extra hole, a little bit of short of his normal drive Boo Weekley, who began
luck and an amazing final and 230 yards from the the round a shot back in
shot to finish off a wire-to- hole. second place, shot 37 on
wire victory in the Travelers Spieth’s approach fell into the back nine to tie for
Championship. bunker. Berger’s ran off the fifth at 9 under, despite
The two-time major cham- green to the left. the support of a large gal-
pion holed out from 60 feet Spieth had to back up af- lery, which could be heard
for birdie from a greenside ter hitting his bunker shot to cheering “Boooo!” and
bunker on the first hole of see the hole. “Boo-S-A!” every time he
a playoff with Daniel Berg- When the ball rolled
er on Sunday at TPC River straight in the cup he threw did something good.
Highlands. his club and did a flying Rory McIlroy tried to find his
The 23-year-old Texan chest bump into caddie short game this week and
joined Tiger Woods as the Michael Greller. used his third putter Sun-
only PGA Tour players with “If I was in Berger’s shoes, day to help him shoot a 64,
10 victories in the era since I be cursing Jordan Spieth his lowest round on the tour Jordan Spieth poses with the Travelers Championship golf tour-
World War II. Woods won right now for the break off this season. nament trophy, Sunday, June 25, 2017, in Cromwell, Conn. Spi-
15 times before he turned the tee and then holing a He tied for 17th at 6 under. eth won the tournament in a playoff with Daniel Berger.
24. 30-yard bunker shot, that’s Associated Press
“That was one for the a lot of luck,” Spieth said.
ages,” said Spieth, also the Spieth didn’t waste any
winner at Pebble Beach in time extending his lead to
February. three strokes Sunday. He
Spieth held a one-stroke hit his approach shot to 6
edge after each of the first feet on the first hole and
three rounds. He closed made the birdie putt, then
with an even-par 70 to made a 5-footer at No. 2.
match Berger — who bird- But those would be his final
ied three of the final six two birdies until a 16-footer
holes for a 67 — at 12-un- on the 15th hole.
der 268. He also survived a couple
Berger, the Memphis win- of big scares. The first came
ner two weeks ago before when his drive on 13 went
missing the cut last week at right but stuck on the side
the U.S. Open, just missed of a hill to stay out of the
a 50-foot putt from off the water. He missed a 7-foot
18th green left that would birdie putt, but saved par.
have forced a second He then hit his tee shot on
playoff hole. the 15th left, just avoiding
“Jordan does Jordan the water and the haz-
things,” Berger said. “So ard line in the rough. He
there’s not really much you chipped to the middle of
can say. I’m obviously dis- the green and made a 16-
appointed, but happy to foot putt for birdie, which
be in the position I was in he thought he had missed.
today.” His second shot at 17 also
Berger began the round looked as if it might hit the
in third place, three shots course’s signature lake, but
back. He tied Spieth for a landed just on the edge of
lead with a 5-foot birdie the green and he made
putt on 15 as Spieth was par.
making bogey on 14 and He’s the third player to go
tied him again with a birdie wire-to-wire alone in the
from 8 feet at 17. lead at the Connecticut
The pair, playing a group event. Gene Littler did it in
apart, both hit their ap- 1959 and Tim Morris in 1982.
proach shots on 18 into the Spieth’s only other wire-to-
same greenside bunker. wire win was the 2015 Mas-
Both chipped out close to ters.
the hole and both saved Sunday’s win was also his
par to force the playoff. first win in a tournament
Berger hit his drive on the debut. The last player to
first playoff hole left and win in Cromwell in his first
into the crowd behind a start was Phil Blackmar in