Cameron Young wins The Players Championship after Fitzpatrick bogeys on final hole – Golf News
American Cameron Young wrested the coveted Players Championship title from Matt Fitzpatrick in the final at TPC Sawgrass.
Fitzpatrick, who is looking to become the first Englishman to win a major PGA Tour event, led by one on the 17th tee, but a par-bogey finish cost him as Young closed out a birdie-par to complete the biggest victory of his career by one stroke.
Young shot a 4-under-par 68 to win his second PGA Tour title at 13 under par, while Fitzpatrick tied for second at 12 under after taking par for the final round.
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre shared the lead deep on the back 9, but the left-handed Ryder Cup star’s challenge ended in water on the 16th as he carded a 69 to finish fourth at 10 under, one shot behind playing partner Xander Schauffele, who had three birdies in his last four holes to move up to third place at 11 under.
ABERG IS SUFFERING FROM RUNNING OUT OF WATER
All four players were within a shot of the title after third-round leader Ludwig Aberg, three shots back on the back nine, bogged down after getting water on both the 11th and 12th holes, costing him three shots.
Fitzpatrick, who missed birdie opportunities from 15, 11, 11 and seven feet on four consecutive holes from the eighth, birdied 12 and 13 to move to 13 under. But Young stuck with him, again taking a shot at the short 13th to never come back.
Young was still a one-drift on the notoriously treacherous par-three 17, whose green is almost entirely surrounded by water. But he found the green and rolled in a 10-foot birdie, and Fitzpatrick could only two-putt and head to the 18th tee for the final hole.
THE LAST DRAMA OF THE CAVE
Young smashed a perfect drive, a 375-yard effort that bent right to left to leave him in the middle of the fairway, while Fitzpatrick went straight into the trees, leaving him unable to reach the green twice. From there he was left with a tricky chip from 20 yards before the game to the back pin, which he did well to hit to 10 feet.
Young’s approach to 18 found the back green, about 15 feet from the pin, but after the American’s birdie attempt slipped 12 inches from the hole, Fitzpatrick was left needing to hole his par putt to keep his hopes alive. The putt slid narrowly past the cup, leaving Young just a click away from the $4.5 million first prize.
After claiming his first PGA Tour title at last year’s Wyndham Championship, Young admitted that breaking his duck seven months ago has helped him play more comfortably this season.
He said: “In a way there is less pressure, but the pressure I put myself under since I was a kid is still there. So, the battle to deal with that is the pressure of not winning or not winning enough. But now to put my name in two different competitions, and a grandfather like the players, is incredibly special and I hope I can continue that throughout the season.”
For all scores from The Players Championship, click here.
