England’s Harry Hall claimed a first PGA Tour victory in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon, chipping in for birdie on the third playoff hole to take the ISCO Championship title.
Victory would have tasted that little bit sweeter given that the 26-year-old from Camborne, Cornwall and his wife, Jordan, are expecting their first child next week.
“It's been a while, but hopefully this gets me into some of the Signature Events back in the UK that I can go and play in front of a home crowd,” Hall reflected after coming through a five-man playoff.
Hall added: “The due date is Friday. She's scheduled to induce on Tuesday, just because I was at a point in the FedEx Cup where I kind of needed to play more.”
The Cornishman, along with Pierceson Coody, Matt NeSmith, Zac Blair and Rico Hoey, all finished on 22 under par at Keene Trace Golf Club in Kentucky.
Despite Hall and Hoey both managing to get to 23-under, no one could better the target set by Blair and NeSmith earlier in the day.
Blair was convinced someone would go lower and had left the course, before doing a u-turn and making the 40-minute trip back to the course.
However, he was soon back on the road after falling at the first playoff hole, as was Hoey, leaving three players in contention.
Nerves were clearly a factor for the remaining trio, and no one was able to find the green at the par-3 9th.
Chip-in for your first PGA Tour title, congrats @HarryHall 👏🏆 pic.twitter.com/vKMQ7ZM1OmJuly 15, 2024
Then Hall produced a moment of magic from the rough at the back of the green, after which he explained what was going through his mind as he addressed the ball.
“Before I chipped that, I was thinking Phil Rowe would love for me to win a PGA Tour event by chipping it in,” said Hall, who had managed just one top-25 finish in 18 previous starts.
“He was my coach in college. Just walking up to that chip I was thinking about him.”
The victory earned Hall $720,000 (£555,000) and 300 FedEx Cup points, and he now’s keen to kick on and pursue his ultimate dream of winning a Green Jacket.
“That's always been my goal growing up and this is just one step closer to that,” said Hall.
“Coming from such a small place back at home, I think being a PGA Tour winner's really cool.”
Hall also explained how a couple of sessions with Butch Harmon have helped him to shorten his swing.
“I've always thought if I could get to the next level I'd probably have to hit it a little bit better.
“Butch had some time for me a month-and-a-half ago and that was the first time I had ever seen him before.
“My iron play ever since has been fantastic.”
