Bubba Watson holed an eight-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Paul Casey of England and win the Travelers Championship for the second time at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
Watson, who also won the tournament in 2010 for the first of his eight PGA Tour victories, blew a three-stroke lead down the stretch in regulation when he made a bogey on the 17th hole en route to a 3-under-par 67. Casey birdied the 16th and 17th to force extra holes with a 65.
“It’s good to get the victory,” said Watson, the two-time Masters champion, who has won five of six playoffs in his career, losing only the 2010 PGA Championship to Martin Kaymer of Germany. “I wish it was a lot easier, but a victory is a victory.
“I proved to myself in ’10 that I could win under pressure in a playoff. I proved to myself that I could mess up 17 and still have a chance to win, and so I knew that if I just kept my head down and kept doing what I needed to do, I could still have a chance to win, and that’s what I did.”
Brian Harman, the 54-hole leader, closed with a 69 to finish one stroke back in solo third, followed another shot behind by Graham DeLaet of Canada, who had a 69, Carl Petterson of Sweden, who was one more stroke back in fifth after a 66, and Zach Johnson, who was four shots behind following a 69.
Luke Donald of England posted a 66 to wind up five strokes back in a tie for seventh with Bo Van Pelt, who also had a 66, and Mark Wilson, who came in at 68.
