Holmes Rallies to Win Shell Houston Open in Playoff


J.B. Holmes fired a closing 8-under 64 to overcome a six-shot deficit and win the Shell Houston Open in a playoff. The $6.6 million PGA Tour event took place at the Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas.

The long-hitting Kentuckian got off to an absolutely torrid start Sunday, carding seven birdies on the front nine to make the turn in 7-under 29 and rise up the leaderboard. After birdies at the 11th and 12th holes, the 32-year-old cooled down, posting a bogey and five pars the rest of the way to finish at 16-under 272.

After waiting an hour and a half for the leaders to finish, Holmes found himself tied at the end of regulation with third-round leader, Jordan Spieth of Dallas, and another Texan, Johnson Wagner. Spieth closed with a 70 and Wagner had a 69.

Wagner, a 35-year-old from Amarillo who earned the first of his three PGA Tour titles at the 2008 Houston Open, was playing this week on a sponsor's exemption. His birdie on the tough par-4 18th got him to 16-under and tied with Holmes.

Needing a par to join the playoff with Holmes and Wagner, Spieth was faced with a difficult downhill lie from right of the bunker guarding the 18th green. He chipped to 11 feet, and rolled in the par putt to move on to extra holes.

On the first playoff hole, the 18th guarded by water left and bunkers right, Holmes and Wagner both found the fairway. Spieth pulled his tee shot a bit but the ball stopped in the rough and didn't roll into the nearby pond. Wagner pushed his approach into the bunker right, while Holmes found the green, 35 feet from the cup.

Spieth, aiming right in anticipation off the hook lie, aimed too far right and also found the bunker. Hitting first from the sand, Wagner splashed out deftly to under 2 feet. When Spieth was at the top of his back swing for his bunker shot, he heard a camera click or another noise from the nearby gallery and hit a poor bunker shot to 40 feet left of the hole.

Putting first, Spieth missed his par attempt. Holmes then almost made his downhill birdie try but it edged the cup. When both he and Wagner carded pars, there were two left in the playoff.

Of the distraction on his bunker shot, a classy Spieth said afterward during a brief TV interview, "I'm not sure what happened. I heard something or maybe it was just me. It's not an excuse. I got down in the sand and caught it fat and didn't give myself a chance to continue in the playoff. But it was a great Easter Sunday."

With Spieth eliminated, Holmes and Wagner returned to the 18th tee. Holmes again blasted a long, beautiful drive to the middle of the narrow fairway. Wagner also found the short grass but his ball stopped 40 yards behind Holmes'.

Hitting first, Wagner found the front of the huge 18th green, over 45 feet from the cup. Holmes then struck another fine iron shot to 10 feet past the pin. Wagner's lengthy birdie putt rolled 5 feet past, setting up Holmes' makeable birdie try and the outright victory.

But Holmes barely missed, setting up the chance for Wagner to make par and send the playoff to a third extra hole, which would have been the par-4 first. But Wagner missed, giving Holmes his fourth Tour victory.

Of being so far back at the start of Sunday, Holmes said during a greenside interview, "I knew I had to play a really low round. It really worked out well for me." Holmes now moves on to next week's first major of the year, the Masters at Augusta National in Georgia.

"It's a great (to win) before a major," added Holmes, who matched the biggest deficit entering the final round on the PGA Tour since last year's Shell Houston Open, when Australia's Matt Jones caught Matt Kuchar on the 72nd hole and beat him in a playoff.

A dejected Wagner, who could have earned a ticket to Augusta with a victory, said, "The way I finished today, I played great. I'm pretty disappointed, but I'm looking forward to Harbour Town (and the RBC Heritage on April 16)."

The victory for Holmes was worth $1.188 million and 500 FedEx Cup points, moving him into third on the season-long points' race.

Finishing two strokes out of the playoff and in solo fourth at 14-under 274 was Russell Henley, who closed with a 69, while tied for 13th at 275 were Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge (67) and Americans Keegan Bradley (69), Cameron Tringale (68) and Charles Howell III (70).

England's Paul Casey posted a 71 to take solo ninth another stroke back. Finishing in 10th at 277 was Scott Piercy (74), while sharing 11th at 10-under were Charley Hoffman (67), Pat Perez (67), Kyle Reifers (68), Chad Collins (70), Alex Cejka (71) and rookie Austin Cook (75).

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