Carl Yuan drained a birdie putt from about eight feet away on the first playoff hole Sunday in the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.
Peter Uihlein then missed his from about six feet out, ironically at the exact moment that Davis Riley missed his playoff extending chip in the Valspar Championship some 800 miles away in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Two final-round playoff nail-biters, one first-time champion, as Yuan claims his maiden win on the Korn Ferry Tour. (Sam Burns prevailed in the Valspar for his third PGA Tour win).
Yuan, who in 2018 delayed turning pro so he could represent China in the Asian Games, previously had a tie for second and a tie third this season.
Now he has his breakthrough victory. It came after he tracked down Trevor Werbylo, who was leading for a good part of the final round at Le Triomphe Country Club in Broussard, Louisiana.
But Werbylo stumbled down the stretch with a double bogey on the 13th hole. Yuan, playing a few holes ahead, was then tied for the lead at 14 under. Werbylo closed with a bogey on the 18th hole, keeping him out of a potential playoff with Yuan, who had seven birdies on the day, and Uihlein.
Uihlein had 15 pars Sunday, eight of them on his back nine. His birdie on the par-4 17th was the key to making the playoff.
Both playoff participants stuffed their approach shots tight on the first extra hole but Uihlein’s burned the right edge, curling a bit around the right edge but staying out of the hole.
Werbylo and José de Jesús Rodríguez finished tied for third at 13 under. Seven golfers tied for fifth at 12 under.
Augusto Núñez, who finished T-12, matched Werbylo’s second-round 64 for low 18-hole score of the week.
Kyle Westmoreland, who became the first Air Force Academy graduate to earn a spot in the U.S. Open last summer, was among six golfers who finished T-15. Westmoreland has missed three cuts in five KFT events this season but his tie for 15th is now his career best finish.
