Trent Phillips shot a final-round 66, tying for low round of the day, to get into a playoff against Jorge Fernandez Valdes at the 2023 UNC Health Championship on Sunday on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Phillips, who turned pro last year, had four consecutive birdies on Nos. 13 through 16 before closing with back-to-back pars. Meanwhile, Valdes, 30, who eagled the par-4 9th, survived a bogey on the 16th hole to shoot a 68 to also make it to bonus golf at Raleigh Country Club in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Both golfers reached 13 under, one clear of the field, to force overtime.
But the extra golf was over quickly, as Valdes made birdie on the first playoff hole to win for the first time in 80 Korn Ferry Tour starts. Prior to this win, had had five top-25s and five missed cuts during the 2023 season.
Valdes celebrated on the 18th green with his wife Martina and daughter Azalea after the trophy presentation.
Third-round leader and Raleigh native Grayson Murray birdied the final hole but otherwise had a disastrous back-nine, with a double bogey on the par-5 12th and bogeys on Nos 13, 16 and 17. He shot a back-nine 39 and a final-round 1-over 71 to miss the playoff by a shot. Two weeks after winning on the Korn Ferry Tour, Murray tied John Augenstein for third.
Kyle Westmoreland, the first Air Force Academy graduate to earn his PGA Tour card, had a first-round 63, which tied for low round of the week. He started the final round a shot back and went on to finish solo fifth after a final-round 71.
