Golf pro Sepp Straka just missed his second win on the PGA Tour by a hair’s breadth. Born in Vienna, he lost to Will Zalatoris from the USA in a dramatic play-off for the $15 million St. Jude Championship in Memphis on Sunday (local time) and finished second. The 29-year-old, who went into the final round in second place, could console himself with prize money of 1.635 million dollars (1.59 million euros).
Straka played a good round of 67 on the final day and hit a total of 265 strokes (15 under par). Zalatoris started Sunday one stroke behind the Austrian and equalized with a 66. So it went into overtime, where no decision was made on the first two holes. On the third extra hole, the 11, Zalatoris then came out on top. The 25-year-old US golfer came in with one penalty stroke with a bogey, while Straka watered his ball and even conceded a total of two penalty strokes and lost. “It was pretty crazy,” said Straka in a first reaction.
Zalatoris took home $2.7 million (€2.63 million) for his maiden win on the PGA Tour. Meanwhile, JJ Spaun from the USA, who was in the lead after lap three, had a pitch-black day. With a round of 78, he was passed on to rank 42.
The sensational performance in the first FedExCup playoff tournament comes as a bit of a surprise considering Straka’s recent performances. The Austro-American had missed the cut in each of his last six tournaments. In the TPC Southwind in the southeast of the Tennessee metropolis Memphis, Straka showed four consistently strong laps and was among the front runners right from the start.
Matthias Schwab, on the other hand, missed the cut at the St. Jude Championship, where the top 125 of the FedExCup teeed off, ending his season. In the second play-off tournament starting next Thursday, the BMW Championship in Wilmington/Delaware, which is also worth $15 million, only the top 70 will start – including Straka.
Source: Nachrichten
