Luke List simply was the last man standing after hitting perhaps the greatest shot of his career.
The 38-year-old List sank a 43-foot birdie putt to win a five-man playoff on the first extra hole and claimed the second victory of his PGA Tour career in the 56th Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country of Jackson in Jackson, Miss.
Also in the playoff were rookie Ben Griffin, who blew a three-stroke lead in the final round and made bogeys on the last two of the last three holes in regulation play, Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, Scott Stallings and Henrik Norlander of Sweden.
“It was rather amazing,” said List, whose only other PGA Tour victory came in another playoff over Will Zalatoris in the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla. “The last 20 minutes were just crazy. I played well all week and kept myself in it, but when I finished my round I didn’t think it was going to be quite enough.
“I was coming off a foot injury last year, but I just kept going after it. This is why we compete, for moments like this and it was great to have my family (his wife, Chloe, and their two young children) here to witness it. I live in Augusta and will be able to sleep in my own bed and play in the Masters next year.
“I told my caddie I was going to make that last putt, and it just went straight in. I’m just very happy to be the winner here.”
Griffin, who was seeking the first PGA Tour victory and second as a pro, struggled to a 74 with five bogeys after making on one in the first three rounds; Aberg, who helped Europe regain the Ryder Cup last week, made a 26-foot eagle putt on the 11th hole and added four birdies in his 66; Stallings made three birdies in his 70, and Norlander had four birdies in another 70.
“My name was on top of the leaderboard for so long, but just couldn’t hold on at the end,” said Griffin, whose only professional victory came in the 2018 Staal Foundation on the PGA Tour Canada. “I was leading after the last two rounds, but it only matters if you are on top after the final round on Sunday.
“But my game is in a good spot and I know that I have the talent to win out here, so I’ll be back. My game just has to be stronger down the stretch and I will learn from this. It’s just a bummer to finish this way.”
Griffin barely missed an eight-foot par putt on the final hole of regulation play that would have given him the victory.
Mark Hubbard closed with a second straight 67 by making bogeys on the last two holes and finished one stroke back in a tie for sixth with Christiian Bezuidenhout of South Africa, who sank a 13-foot eagle putt on No. 14 in a second straight 68, and Carl Yuan of China, who holed out from 119 yards for an eagle on the 17th hole in a 72.
Cameron Champ of Sacramento, who won the 2018 Sanderson Farms, made three birdies in a 71 that left him two shots behind in a tie for ninth with C.T. Pan of Taiwan, who collected seven birdies in a 66, and Troy Merritt, who made an eight-foot eagle putt at No. 14 and added five birdies in a 68.
Peter Malnati, who captured the 2015 Sanderson Farms Championship for his only PGA Tour victory, struggled to a 74 and finished in a tie for 51st.
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