Daily Wrap-up: Round 4, The Greenbrier Classic

text size

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- PGA TOUR rookie Scott Stallings won the Greenbrier Classic on Sunday, sinking a birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Bob Estes and Bill Haas.

GREENBRIER CLASSIC

Results, points
TOUR Report
What they said
De Jonge falls short
Romero posts 9 under
FedExCup standings
2011 winners
Round 4 photos

ROUND 4 VIDEO

Video: Stallings wins
Video: Stallings birdies 18th
Video: Haas birdies No. 17
Video: Verplank on No. 18
Video: Interview: Stallings

After watching Estes and Haas miss their birdie attempts on the 168-yard 18th hole, Stallings curled in a 7-footer for his first TOUR victory. He flipped his putter, then hugged and high-fived his caddie.

"To be a champion in such a great event is a huge blessing," Stallings said.

The 26-year-old Stallings made six birdies on the back nine to make the playoff, where he earned a winner's check of $1.08 million, moved to 26th in the FedExCup standings and earned a spot in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.

"I've wanted to do this since I was a little kid," Stallings said. "I was that little boy running around chasing autographs and yelling at guys because they wouldn't stop and sign my golf balls."

It marked the second straight week that a tournament was won in sudden death. Sean O'Hair beat Kris Blanks on the first playoff hole a week ago at the RBC Canadian Open.

In just its second year, the Greenbrier Classic produced another dramatic finish. Stuart Appleby shot 59 in last year's final round, including a birdie on the last hole to beat Jeff Overton by a stroke.

Haas earned his fourth top-10 finish of the season, while the 45-year-old Estes missed out on his first tour win since 2002 and fifth overall. Estes battled a wrist injury earlier this year and was playing in just his seventh tournament.

Winner's Spotlight

Scott Stallings captured his first PGA TOUR title and moved 26th in the FedExCup standings. • Latest standings

Estes shot 6-under 64 and was the clubhouse leader at 10 under, then watched as Haas birdied the par-5 17th six groups later to join him after a 67.

Stallings, who shot 69, bogeyed the par-5 17th after his drive went in a water hazard. He needed a birdie at No. 18 to make the playoff, and sank a 5-footer to do it.

After signing his scorecard, Stallings made his impromptu sprint and said later he wasn't too winded for the playoff.

"Running from the back of the green to the tee to go to the playoff is something I'll never forget," he said. "I've been working with a trainer for about a month, so he should be proud."

Estes waited more than an hour between the final round and the playoff. He went to eat, then warmed up on the practice range, hitting his 8 iron and putting to prepare for No. 18. He also hit driver, 5 wood and sand wedges for No. 17 if the playoff went that far.

"I felt like I did everything exactly right," Estes said. "I just didn't make the birdie putt on 18."

Jimmy Walker (68), Andres Romero (65), Brendon de Jonge (66), Cameron Tringale (67) and Gary Woodland (69) finished at 9 under.

After last year's tournament, the course was lengthened more than 200 yards. The reseeded greens were less receptive to approach shots this time around. Appleby and Phil Mickelson were among those missing the cut, and the low rounds of the tournament were 62s shot by Anthony Kim and Walker on Saturday.

There were birdies to be made Sunday, just not the boatload that Appleby enjoyed last year.

Kim, the third-round leader, missed four birdie tries under 14 feet on the first six holes. He three-putted the par-3 8th, then hooked his tee shot into trees on the next hole and made bogey. He shot 74 to finish at 6 under, tied with four others.

Webb Simpson overcame a double bogey on the first hole, made five birdies on the front nine and took the lead briefly after a 3-footer for birdie at No. 9. It would be his last. He bogeyed the next hole and never recovered. He shot even par and finished tied with Kyle Stanley at 8 under.

Simpson relinquished the lead to Haas, who had back-to-back birdies at No. 8 and 9. Haas made bogey at No. 15 to give Estes the lead, then tied him two holes later.

Stallings started the day a shot out of the lead and seemed to take himself out of contention with three bogeys on the front nine. He responded with four birdies on the first five holes on the back, then hit a 103-yard wedge within a foot of the hole on the par-4 16th to move to 10 under before getting into trouble on No. 17.

The Old White TPC: Sunday

EASIEST HOLE TOUGHEST HOLE The par-5 12th hole was the easiest with a Sunday scoring average of 4.427. EAGLES: 7 BIRDIES: 37 PARS: 27 BOGEYS: 1 OTHER: 3 The par-3 15th hole was the toughest with a Sunday scoring average of 3.253. EAGLES: 0 BIRDIES: 6 PARS: 45 BOGEYS: 23 OTHERS: 1

About the winner

• PGA TOUR rookie Scott Stallings carded a 1-under 69 on Sunday and then birdied the first extra hole to defeat Bill Haas and PGA TOUR veteran Bob Estes to win The Greenbrier Classic. With the win Stallings earns 500 FedExCup points and moves from No. 88 to No. 26 in the point standings. • Stallings, the 10th first-time winner this season, is the sixth rookie winner (the most on TOUR dating to 1970). Other rookie winners in 2011 include Jhonattan Vegas, Charl Schwartzel, Brendan Steele, Keegan Bradley and Chris Kirk. • With the victory, Stallings earns a ticket into next week's World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. • The playoff on Sunday, the first of Stallings' career, was the 13th of the season on the PGA TOUR. • Stallings, at the age of 26 years, 4 months and 6 days, is the 12th winner under the age of 30 this season. Last year, there were 16 winners in their 20s.