Monday 26 June 2017 12:32, UK
Jordan Spieth holed a sensational bunker escape at the first play-off hole to snatch victory over Daniel Berger at the Travelers Championship.
After the two American youngsters had finished tied at the top on 12 under after an erratic, but entertaining final round at TPC River Highlands, they returned to the 18th tee and both left themselves in trouble with their drives.
Berger had the honour and pulled his drive into the left rough before Spieth, who enjoyed a number of fortunate breaks on the back nine in particular, failed to clear the tree on the left of the fairway and his ball cannoned off a branch and back into the short grass.
Spieth then came up short with his long, five-iron approach and found the same short-right bunker he had in regulation, while Berger tugged his second into the fringe to the left of the green, some 50 feet from the pin.
But Spieth then produced one of the shots of the season as he splashed out and watched anxiously as his ball kicked forward on a good line, and it hit the centre of the flagstick and dropped in to spark wild celebrations from the two-time major champion and the thousands of fans surrounding the green.
Berger's attempt to extend the contest was a valiant effort, but it drifted past the cup on the left as Spieth clinched his second PGA Tour title of the season, and the 10th of his career.
Spieth had started the day with a one-shot lead over fan-favourite Boo Weekley, but the 43-year-old veteran faded out of contention with a closing 72 which left him three off the pace at the close.
Birdies at the opening two holes set Spieth on course for a comfortable victory, but his all-round game began to falter and he dropped a shot at the fourth before grinding out a series of pars.
He then three-putted from 50 feet at the 12th, and his drive at the 13th looked to be heading for the water on the right until his ball got caught up in the thick rough. But after clipping his third to three feet, he missed the putt for birdie and did the same on the next green to slip back to 11 under.
Spieth's pulled hybrid at the short par-four 15th again held in the rough when it appeared destined for a watery grave, and this time he took full advantage as he pitched to 15 feet and the putt caught just enough of the hole to drop.
The 23-year-old missed a good chance for another gain from 10 feet at 16 and, after a solid par at the 17th, he split the final fairway with a towering drive only to chunk his wedge approach into the same bunker as he would later find in the play-off as he defied the pressure to splash out to two feet to secure his par.
Berger, meanwhile, had earlier recovered from a bogey at the opening hole with a birdie from 10 feet at the second, and he then ground out 10 consecutive pars before breaking the run with a cracking second to the long 13th which set up a routine two-putt for birdie.
A superb up-and-down at the driveable 15th got him into a share of the lead and, after Spieth had edged back in front, Berger replied with a brave second shot to seven feet at the 17th which he followed with a confident putt straight into the middle of the cup.
Berger blocked his drive into the gallery at the last, but he gouged his second into a greenside bunker and splashed out to three feet before safely nailing the putt to set the target at 12 under, but he would be undone by the brilliance of Spieth at the first extra hole.
The leaders finished two strokes clear of Charley Hoffman, who closed with a flawless 66, and Danny Lee, while Paul Casey's challenge effectively ended with a double-bogey at the 10th as a 69 saw him finish at nine under alongside Weekley and Patrick Reed.
