Los Angeles: Canada’s Nick Taylor won his fourth career PGA Tour title on Sunday, making three consecutive birdies at the 18th hole to defeat American Charley Hoffman in a playoff thriller and capture the Phoenix Open.
Taylor, last year’s Phoenix Open runner-up, charged down the final holes before making dramatic putts at 18 before a roaring crowd to outduel Hoffman.
“I tried to draw on last year. I didn’t have it early on. I made some ridiculous par saves,” Taylor said. “That 18th tee shot has given me trouble in the past. To hit three pretty good ones and birdie it three times is amazing.”
Taylor birdied three of the last four holes in regulation to fire a bogey-free six-under par 65 and match Hoffman on 21-under 263 after 72 holes at TPC Scottsdale.
After his birdie from just inside 10 feet at the 18th forced the playoff, Taylor sank a birdie from just inside 15 feet on the first playoff hole and, after Hoffman extended the playoff with a birdie from just beyond seven feet, sank a birdie putt from just inside 12 feet at 18 for the victory.
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“I drew on that last putt from last year. I had that putt when I finished second,” Taylor said. “I was seeing the lines great all week so it was amazing that went in too.”
Taylor won last year’s PGA Canadian Open, the first Canadian since 1954 to win the event, and also took the 2014 Sanderson Farms Championship and 2020 Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
His tension-packed finish closed out a marathon day when he had to play 30 regulation holes due to earlier weather disruptions.
“It was a marathon day,” Taylor said. “We signed our scorecard after the third round and had eight minutes to go to the tee. I don’t know if that rattled me a little bit but it was just a long day.
“So to find my swing and make some birdies the last nine or 10 holes was incredible.”
