Australia's Robert Allenby gave himself an early birthday present yesterday, capturing the PGA Western Open by beating Zimbabwe's Nick Price in a play-off.
Allenby, who turns 29 on Wednesday, made a bogey on his first trip to the 18th hole to allow Price into the play-off after both finished 72 holes at 14-under par 274 in the $3 million event.
He rose to 6-0 in PGA play-offs, with half the triumphs on the European tour, another in Australia and both US titles coming this year in play-offs.
Allenby won his first US PGA title in April at the Houston Open, beating Craig Stadler with a par on the fourth play-off hole. Already among six first-time winners on tour this year, Allenby became one of six multiple winners on the tour this year.
Price took a bogey on the final hole to drop the play-off, failing in a bid for his third Western Open crown and extending a a run without a win for over two years on the US tour, where Price last won in a 1998 play-off over Jeff Sluman at Memphis.
In this play-off, Price went first and sent his tee shot on the 18th hole into a bunker right of the fairway. He was forced to chip out over a tree and saw his approach roll down the slanted fairway just into greenside rough below the hole, halting some 20-feet from the cup.
Price, who had pared the 18th in all four previous attempts, watched as Allenby claimed a routine par, then rolled his chip just right of the cup, giving his rival the title.
Allenby fired his second consecutive four-under par 68 after back-to-back 69s in the opening rounds.
On his first trip to the 18th hole, Allenby went just over the green and putted back downhill, his ball rolling six feet past the pin.
When Allenby missed a par putt, he fell back into a tie for the lead with Price, who was standing in the fairway.
The African sent his approach to the rough below the pin, the long grass holding the ball from rolling into a water hazard. He chipped a foot short of the cup and tapped in to force a play-off, the first at this event in 11 years.
"Playoffs must agree with me," Allenby said laughing. "A win's a win. I really don't care how I get it."
"I've lost two play-offs in the Western Open, but when I look back, this tournament has been so good to me," Price said. "When you look at that champions roster, there's some serious names on there. To have my name on there three times would be great. I've still got another couple of cracks at it."
Japan's Shigeki Maruyama fired a final-round 70 to finish in a share of third with Americans Greg Kraft and Jim Furyk at 12under 276, one stroke ahead of Jeff Maggert, Franklin Langham and Brian Henninger.
Tiger Woods was way back in joint 23rd on seven under after a final-round 72 which included an eagle, a birdie and three bogeys.
