Washington (AFP) – Brian Campbell parred the first hole of a sudden death playoff to beat Emilio Grillo and claim his second US PGA Tour title of 2025 at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. Campbell, 32, had won his first PGA title at the Mexico Open in February, a reward for grinding his way back onto the tour after injuries threatened to derail his career following his rookie season back in 2017.
He and Argentina’s Grillo both carded four-under-par 67s on Sunday to finish 72 holes on 18-under 266 at TPC Deere Run. For the playoff, they returned to the par-four 18th, where Campbell’s second shot from the fairway landed 16 feet from the pin. Grillo’s tee shot was in the right rough, and his second shot came out hot, racing through the green. His chip back left him a 23-footer from just off the green, and after he failed to make it, Campbell calmly stepped up and two-putted for the win.
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“Right now it’s surreal,” said Campbell, who attended college in Illinois and made his first PGA Tour start in this event. “It all started here as an amateur, my first invite here … I have no words. To let alone be in a playoff and to finish it off this way has just been amazing.”
Campbell, who also won his Mexico title in a playoff, had a two-shot lead after rolling in a 14-foot putt at the 13th for his fifth birdie of the day. He dropped one adrift with a double-bogey at the 15th, but was back on top by one after a birdie at 17. Behind him, Grillo reached 18-under with an eight-foot birdie at the 17th — his fifth birdie of the day — and the Argentinian nearly seized the victory at the 72nd hole, where his 37-foot birdie putt was an inch wide.
“I played well, that’s all I can do,” he said. “I got myself there, I gave myself a chance,” added Grillo, whose two tour titles both came in playoffs.
David Lipsky, chasing his first tour title, played in the last group and was tied for the lead on 18-under after rolling in an eight-foot eagle putt at the 17th. However, he missed out on the playoff after a bogey at 18. He was tied for third with Kevin Roy, who had six birdies in his six-under 65. Max Homa closed with a 69 to head a group of six players tied on 268.
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