Stuard Wins on Second Hole Playoff at Zurich Classic
Published on May 3 2016 6:29 am
Last Updated on May 3 2016 6:30 am
Brian Stuard beat Jamie Lovemark on the second hole of a playoff Monday at the waterlogged Zurich Classic for his first PGA Tour win.
Stuard never bogeyed a hole throughout the tournament on the long (7,425-yard), par-72 TPC Louisiana course, which was drenched with more than 4½ inches of rain during the tournament. Weather delays on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday not only forced a Monday finish but also led officials to shorten the tournament to 54 holes.
"I wasn't playing great. I was just kind of, I don't know ... hanging around," Stuard said after his final-round 69. "I kind of hung in there all week. I just didn't get too ahead of myself and just stayed real patient, and it paid off."
Lovemark, Stuard and Byeong-Hun An entered the playoff at 15 under par.
An unraveled on the first playoff hole and Lovemark on the second while Stuard remained steady, virtually clinching the win with a 160-yard approach to within 2½ of the pin for an easy birdie putt.
Stuard's best previous PGA Tour finishes were a pair of second places in Mexico, one in 2010 and the other in 2014.
Lovemark came in with only five career top-10 finishes, but four of those had come this season for the Californian.
