Vegas hits Bob Hope jackpot

Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas lead from pillar-to-post to capture the Bob Hope Classic in a 3-way playoff. The event is only his fifth as a full PGA Tour member.

Vegas, beginning the final round of the 5-round marathon tied for the lead with Gary Woodland, shot a closing round 69, but had to wait until the second extra hole before seeing off all challengers, courtesy of a 13-foot par putt to beat Woodland on the 92nd hole.

Bill Haas, the defending champion had also joined the playoff, following a closing round of 66; while Woodland has staked his claim with a 69. Woodland had endured a shaky early start, and after a birdie on the second hole, shot bogeys on the 3rd and 5th holes before embarking on a three-birdie run from the next, and a birdie-bogey-finish was enough to see him into the shootout.

Haas, meanwhile, carded six birdies in his bogey-free round while Vegas could have won in regulation had it not been for a bogey on the 18th hole to prolong the tournament.

In the playoff, Haas was first to fall after managing only a par to Vegas’ and Woodland’s birdies, and as the light faded, it looked like Woodland would go on to win after Vegas’ tee-shot on the 92nd found the water. However, Woodland was in a greenside bunker in two, and his sand-save rolled to the opposite side of the green as Vegas put his third shot to 13 feet from the hole.

Woodland missed his par attempt, leaving Vegas to rattle home the 13-footer for a $900,000 paycheque and his first PGA Tour win. He also maintained a sequence to become the third consecutive player to record their first PGA Tour success at the Bob Hope Classic, following Bill Haas in 2010 and Pat Perez in the previous year. And with this win, Vegas will also make his US Masters debut, and his father is already looking forward to the prospect of his son taking on Augusta National.

“I know it’s a dream that my dad and my American friends have to go to the Masters, just to walk around,” Vegas said with a broad smile. “That’s what they told me. It’s like, ‘Before I die, just please get me to the Masters.”

Ryan Palmer closed with a 64 to take fourth place on 26-under par, while tipster pick Kevin Na guaranteed a small return for backers with a round of 67 to claim a share of fifth place with Brian Gay, who shot a stunning 62 on 24-under par.