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Las Vegas - Jonathan Byrd fired a hole-in-one at the fourth playoff hole on Sunday to seize victory in the PGA Tour's Shriners Hospital Open in stunning style as darkness closed in.
Byrd, 2009 champion Martin Laird of Scotland and Australian Cameron Percy debated whether to keep going after all three remained in the playoff after three holes.
They decided to press on in the fading light.
Byrd, first off the tee as they returned to the par-three 17th for the fourth playoff hole, erased the spectre of a Monday morning return with one swing.
His shot at the 204-yard hole landed some 10 feet short and disappeared into the cup, golf's version of hitting the jackpot at the TPC Summerlin in the gambling haven of Las Vegas.
Because of the darkness, Byrd didn't realise immediately that it went in.
"I didn't see it," he said. "I'm in shock. I think the people at the green were the only people who could see it.
"I hit it perfect - for it to go in, that's just luck."
As Laird and Percy moved to make their tee shots, Byrd was caught by a television camera muttering "You've got to be kidding."
It was no joke, however, and the American notched his first victory of 2010 and the fourth of his PGA Tour career.
After some congratulatory handshakes, Percy and Laird had to hole out to extend the playoff to Monday.
Their tee shots went left and they both found the water, giving Byrd the title.
Byrd had birdied three of the last four holes of regulation to put himself in the playoff.
He carded a final-round 68, while Aussie Tour rookie Percy shot a 67 and Laird a 69 to finish 72 holes on 21-under 263.
Byrd nearly found water on the third extra hole, but saved par from seven feet to stay alive.
The trio huddled with officials after the third hole.
A PGA Tour official came out and told the players the decision was theirs if they wanted to continue in the fading light.
Byrd said he'd leave up to the others and the group decided if they teed off and couldn't see on the green, they would return Monday morning.
So they all figured out there was just enough light to maybe play one more hole and as it turned out Byrd needed only one more swing.
"I kept preaching to myself all day, hang in there," said Byrd. "What an unbelievable day."
"It's hard to process because I'm still in shock."
Golfers have made an eagle with a full swing on the final hole to win events. Among the more memorable were Isao Aoki in the Hawaiian Open in 1983, Robert Gamez at Bay Hill in 1990. Craig Parry even eagled to win a playoff on the 18th hole at Doral in 2004.
Paul Casey had a hole-in-one to win a foursomes match at the Ryder Cup in Ireland and Peter Hanson made a hole-in-one in a playoff last year to earn a spot in the US Open.
But Byrd's was a first. "You're never prepared for a hole-in-one," Laird said.
Leading final-round scores on Sunday from the $4.3 million PGA Tour Shriners Hospital Open (x-won at 4th playoff hole. USA unless noted, par 71):
263 - x-Jonathan Byrd 66-63-66-68, Cameron Percy (AUS) 66-68-62-67, Martin Laird (GBR) 69-62-63-69
264 - Spencer Levin 69-63-66-66, Webb Simpson 66-66-64-68
265 - Nick Watney 66-66-67-66, Cameron Beckman 67-67-64-67
266 - Ryuji Imada (JPN) 68-62-70-66, Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 67-68-64-67, Ryan Palmer 65-68-66-67
267 - Richard S. Johnson (SWE) 68-66-69-64, Cameron Tringale 64-68-68-67, John Senden (AUS) 64-67-68-68
268 - Pat Perez 68-69-65-66, George McNeill 65-66-70-67, Kevin Sutherland 69-65-67-67, Michael Connell 69-65-67-67
Notable others:
269 - Graham DeLaet (CAN) 69-63-70-67
271 - Mathew Goggin (AUS) 69-69-66-67, Andres Romero (ARG) 67-69-66-69
273 - Greg Chalmers (AUS) 70-64-70-69
275 - Brian Davis (GBR) 67-70-69-69, James Nitties (AUS) 68-65-72-70
278 - Brenden Pappas (RSA) 69-68-72-69
281 - Nathan Green (AUS) 69-69-74-69
282 - Warren Schutte (RSA) 69-69-74-70
290 - Arjun Atwal (IND) 70-68-77-75
Byrd, 2009 champion Martin Laird of Scotland and Australian Cameron Percy debated whether to keep going after all three remained in the playoff after three holes.
They decided to press on in the fading light.
Byrd, first off the tee as they returned to the par-three 17th for the fourth playoff hole, erased the spectre of a Monday morning return with one swing.
His shot at the 204-yard hole landed some 10 feet short and disappeared into the cup, golf's version of hitting the jackpot at the TPC Summerlin in the gambling haven of Las Vegas.
Because of the darkness, Byrd didn't realise immediately that it went in.
"I didn't see it," he said. "I'm in shock. I think the people at the green were the only people who could see it.
"I hit it perfect - for it to go in, that's just luck."
As Laird and Percy moved to make their tee shots, Byrd was caught by a television camera muttering "You've got to be kidding."
It was no joke, however, and the American notched his first victory of 2010 and the fourth of his PGA Tour career.
After some congratulatory handshakes, Percy and Laird had to hole out to extend the playoff to Monday.
Their tee shots went left and they both found the water, giving Byrd the title.
Byrd had birdied three of the last four holes of regulation to put himself in the playoff.
He carded a final-round 68, while Aussie Tour rookie Percy shot a 67 and Laird a 69 to finish 72 holes on 21-under 263.
Byrd nearly found water on the third extra hole, but saved par from seven feet to stay alive.
The trio huddled with officials after the third hole.
A PGA Tour official came out and told the players the decision was theirs if they wanted to continue in the fading light.
Byrd said he'd leave up to the others and the group decided if they teed off and couldn't see on the green, they would return Monday morning.
So they all figured out there was just enough light to maybe play one more hole and as it turned out Byrd needed only one more swing.
"I kept preaching to myself all day, hang in there," said Byrd. "What an unbelievable day."
"It's hard to process because I'm still in shock."
Golfers have made an eagle with a full swing on the final hole to win events. Among the more memorable were Isao Aoki in the Hawaiian Open in 1983, Robert Gamez at Bay Hill in 1990. Craig Parry even eagled to win a playoff on the 18th hole at Doral in 2004.
Paul Casey had a hole-in-one to win a foursomes match at the Ryder Cup in Ireland and Peter Hanson made a hole-in-one in a playoff last year to earn a spot in the US Open.
But Byrd's was a first. "You're never prepared for a hole-in-one," Laird said.
Leading final-round scores on Sunday from the $4.3 million PGA Tour Shriners Hospital Open (x-won at 4th playoff hole. USA unless noted, par 71):
263 - x-Jonathan Byrd 66-63-66-68, Cameron Percy (AUS) 66-68-62-67, Martin Laird (GBR) 69-62-63-69
264 - Spencer Levin 69-63-66-66, Webb Simpson 66-66-64-68
265 - Nick Watney 66-66-67-66, Cameron Beckman 67-67-64-67
266 - Ryuji Imada (JPN) 68-62-70-66, Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 67-68-64-67, Ryan Palmer 65-68-66-67
267 - Richard S. Johnson (SWE) 68-66-69-64, Cameron Tringale 64-68-68-67, John Senden (AUS) 64-67-68-68
268 - Pat Perez 68-69-65-66, George McNeill 65-66-70-67, Kevin Sutherland 69-65-67-67, Michael Connell 69-65-67-67
Notable others:
269 - Graham DeLaet (CAN) 69-63-70-67
271 - Mathew Goggin (AUS) 69-69-66-67, Andres Romero (ARG) 67-69-66-69
273 - Greg Chalmers (AUS) 70-64-70-69
275 - Brian Davis (GBR) 67-70-69-69, James Nitties (AUS) 68-65-72-70
278 - Brenden Pappas (RSA) 69-68-72-69
281 - Nathan Green (AUS) 69-69-74-69
282 - Warren Schutte (RSA) 69-69-74-70
290 - Arjun Atwal (IND) 70-68-77-75
