FILE PHOTO: Kevin Na of the U.S. hits from the sand on the second hole during first round play of the 2019 Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, U.S., April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
(Reuters) – Kevin Na recovered from a meltdown before beating fellow American Patrick Cantlay in a playoff at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Na sank a four-foot par putt at the second extra hole at TPC Summerlin to avoid what would have been a sickening loss.
He had given up a four-shot lead on the back nine, primarily due to a triple-bogey at the 10th hole.
Na shot one-under-par 70 while Cantlay carded 68. The pair tied at 23-under-par 261, two shots ahead of Pat Perez.
Na holed a clutch nine-foot putt at the first playoff hole, the par-four 18th, to match Cantlay’s birdie, before winning it when they played the hole again and Cantlay three-putted.
Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; editing by Richard Pullin
