Charl Schwartzel of South Africa made par on the first playoff hole to turn back Bill Haas and win the Valspar Championship on the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Fla.
Schwartzel, whose only other PGA Tour victory came in the 2011 Masters, birdied four holes on the back nine in a 4-under-par 67, including a 23-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole that pulled him even after he started the day five strokes back.
“It was tough, a day when I thought anything could happen,” said Schwartzel, who has won 11 times on the European Tour, including Tshwane Open by eight shots last month. “I was just trying to hit the green and take the birdies when they come. Then I caught life on the back nine. I’m really proud of myself.
”When you win the Masters, you think you are going to win a lot, but it was a rough ride for a few years. It became a bit mental and it’s nice to finally overcome it.”
Haas, who had a three-stroke lead at one time in the final round, shot 72 and had a chance to win on the 18th hole in regulation, but missed a 25-foot putt from barely off the green.
In the playoff, Haas pushed his drive into the trees on the right, hit his second shot into a greenside bunker and could not get up-and-down for par, missing a 25-foot par putt.
“I hit a poor tee shot (in the playoff),” said Haas, who has won six times on the PGA Tour, including the 2015 Humana Challenge. “I hung on a little too long and the wind got it. Then I had a decent lie, but pushed my second shot again.
“But it’s the bunker shot that’s going to keep me awake tonight. It was one that you think about making, but it was just poor execution.”
Ryan Moore finished with 12 consecutive pars to shoot 71 and was two strokes back in solo third, while amateur Lee McCoy, a senior at Georgia, recorded a 69 and was another shot behind in fourth.
Graham DeLaet of Canada, seeking his first PGA Tour victory, struggled to a 75 that did not include a single birdie to wind up four strokes behind in a tie for fifth with Charles Howell III, who made two late bogeys in a 72.
Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa carded a 70 and finished another shot back in a tie for seventh with Patrick Reed, who had a 73, Scott Brown, who totaled 71, and 49-year-old Steve Stricker, who wound up at 73.
Jason Gore of Valencia and Pepperdine posted a 72 to tie for 11th with Matt Kuchar (68), Charley Hoffman (75) of Poway, George McNeill (70), Henrik Stenson (72) of Sweden, Daniel Berger (72) and two-time Valspar winner Retief Goosen (72).
Top-ranked Jordan Spieth, the defending champion, closed with a 73 and finished in a tie for 18th.
