Mexico City (AFP) – Teenage sensation Blades Brown became the PGA Tour’s youngest winner since 1931 as he stormed to a playoff victory at the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico after a stunning nine-under par 63 on Sunday. The 19-year-old from Tennessee — who skipped college to turn professional straight out of high school — had begun the final day a giant seven strokes back, tied for ninth, but recorded the day’s lowest round with 10 birdies in Cabo San Lucas.
Brown held his nerve to sink a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for the solo clubhouse lead at 23-under par, with overnight leader Ben James still on the course and two strokes back. After a string of pars, James needed an eagle on the par-five 18th. He fired a superb approach iron to within 20 feet and sank the putt to force a sudden-death playoff on the same hole. Both men found the middle of the green in two. James, going first from 27 feet, missed by inches, but Brown left his slightly easier putt just short. Repeating the hole, both left their approaches short and right.
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But after a fine chip, James pushed his six-foot putt wide right, and Brown sank his for victory. “Playoff holes are just…they’re incredible. It tests you in so many different ways,” said Brown, who had a lengthy wait between the end of his round and the playoff. “I was hitting balls and saw he made it, and I was like, ‘All right, playoff, let’s go.’ I’ve known Ben since we were amateur golfers, and he’s just such an unbelievable player. He’s lights-out with the putter. I got him this time, but I’m sure we’re going to be battling out years to come.”
At 19 years and five months, Brown is the fourth-youngest PGA Tour winner in history, surpassing Jordan Spieth’s victory at the 2013 John Deere Classic at 19 years and 11 months as the youngest in modern times. Michael Kim finished third, one stroke back at 22-under-par, having birdied the final hole moments before his Sunday playing partner Brown followed suit to retake the lead. Japan’s Kensei Hirata was fourth at 21-under, with David Ford fifth a further stroke back.
After his unusual decision to skip college, Brown missed the cut on his pro debut aged 17 at last year’s PGA Tour American Express in La Quinta. He was ranked 485th in the world at the start of this year, but has had a stellar campaign. Brown made headlines with his 12-under par 60 at La Quinta this January, which saw him share the halfway lead with world number one and eventual champion Scottie Scheffler. He also finished third at this year’s Puerto Rico Open. Brown recorded two runner-up finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour, last month becoming the youngest player ever to earn a PGA Tour card through the developmental series. “It’s crazy…to finally get my first one under my ball is pretty special,” said Brown.
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