Tuesday 10 May 2016 19:33, UK
Rickie Fowler snatched the Players Championship title after an enthralling final day packed with high drama at TPC Sawgrass.
The American, the subject of a controversial article in a leading American magazine that described him as the joint-most overrated player on the PGA Tour, birdied the first hole of a sudden-death play-off after 75 holes had not been enough to decide the outcome.
Fowler produced a record-breaking finish to earn a share of the lead with longtime final-round leader Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner on 12 under par, and the Spaniard was eliminated after a three-hole play-off covering 16, 17 and 18.
The two Americans then headed back to the 17th tee with darkness closing in, and after Kisner wedged to around 12 feet, Fowler hit a beauty to within four feet of the flag.
Kisner's birdie putt was short of pace and missed on the low side, and Fowler held his nerve to rattle in the winning putt and claim his second PGA Tour title - his first since getting the better of Rory McIlroy in a play-off at Quail Hollow in 2012.
The decision to introduce the three-hole play-off this season was immediately put into action, although all three leaders failed to birdie the long 16th after blocking their tee shots into rough on the right and being forced to lay up.
But Fowler and Kisner then converted solid tee shots at the infamous 17th and Garcia was unable to better a three, and his 20-foot putt for birdie to extend his part in the play-off narrowly missed the target at 18 after the home pair had come up short with their approaches.
Fowler then clinched an emotional victory in some style on the 76th hole of the tournament to cap one of the most memorable final days in TPC Sawgrass history.
The three combatants had lit up the Stadium Course over a riveting final hour of regulation play, with Fowler breaking the tournament record for the last four holes.
He was one over for his round after 12 holes and seemingly out of contention, but he birdied the 13th and 15th before knocking a stunning hybrid to within two feet of the cup at the long 16th for a tap-in eagle.
Record finish for Fowler
Fowler converted from seven feet for birdie at 17, and he followed a perfect 331-yard drive at the last with a solid wedge and a perfect 15-footer for another birdie - just his 17th shot over the final six holes - which gave him the clubhouse lead on 12 under.
Garcia had enjoyed the lead for the majority of the final day after recovering from a bogey at the first with four birdies over the next five holes, but the putts dried up for the Spaniard and he bogeyed the 14th after removing his shoes to play his second while standing on the cart path.
He made a nice four at 16 and then sent the galleries wild when he nailed a superb 45-foot putt for another birdie at the 17th, but his 20-foot putt to reclaim the outright lead at 18 slid past the cup on the low side.
With much of the attention focused on an expected battle between Fowler and Garcia, Ben Martin suddenly appeared at the top of the leaderboard when the American carded three straight birdies at 15, 16 and 17 before a blocked three-wood off the final tee proved his undoing as he was unable to save par.
But there was more drama to come as Kisner suddenly vaulted into a tie for the lead with birdies at 16 and 17, and a delightful approach to the last left him less than 10 feet from the cup.
The putt looked to have every chance, but it failed to take the break and shaved the right edge of the hole as Kisner settled for a closing 69.
Martin's 70 was good enough for a share of fourth along with Bill Haas, who bogeyed seven, eight and nine before making a late charge with three birdies in a row from the 14th but he was unable to convert chances over the last two holes.
Rory Sabbatini had earlier drained one of the longest putts of the tournament at 17 as he closed with a bogey-free 69 to finish on nine under alongside halfway co-leader Kevin Na, who bogeyed the last to return a disappointing 71.
Jamie Donaldson was one of three players along with Fowler and Padraig Harrington to fire a final-day 67, earning the Welshman a share of eighth place on eight under with Ryder Cup team-mate Rory McIlroy.
The world No 1 was again let down by a poor performance on the greens as he carded three birdies and one dropped shot in another frustrating 70.
