Taylor prevails in Sony Open playoff for fifth PGA Tour win

WINNING the Sony Open almost became an afterthought for Canada’s Nick Taylor during Sunday’s final round.

But get this guy into a playoff, and he knows what to do.

Taylor knocked in a birdie putt from less than 3 feet away on the second playoff hole to win the tournament in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu.

“I’m a bit stunned this worked out this way,” Taylor said.

It’s his fifth PGA Tour victory. The last three have come in playoffs.

“I feel like I can rise to the occasion,” Taylor said. “It’s pretty fun.”

Taylor, who had a dramatic eagle to conclude the final round, matched Colombia’s Nico Echavarria with 16-under-par 264s. They both turned in 5-under 65s in the final round.

Taylor and Echavarria were forced to repeat the par-5 No. 18 after they both birdied it on the first extra hole. Taylor made a 10-foot putt and Echavarria followed by draining a 5 1/2-footer. On the second playthrough, Echavarria missed an 8 1/2-footer for birdie to set up Taylor for the win.

Echavarria, 30, was trying to post a PGA Tour victory for the third consecutive year. In regulation, he birdied No. 18 after blasting from a bunker.

But on the second playoff hole, he used three putts to reach the hole.

“One bad putt can’t define a great week,” Echavarria said, bemoaning the first attempt after reaching the green.

Taylor’s chip-in from the fringe for an eagle 3 on No. 18 catapulted him into contention before waiting for others to finish to see if it held up.

That put him 6 under for the final 11 holes of regulation. It also was redemption after he missed back-to-back birdie putts from less than 5 feet away on the back side. — Reuters