Harry Hall secured his first US PGA Tour title on Sunday by winning the ISCO Championship in Nicholasville, Kentucky, in a dramatic five-man sudden-death playoff. Hall clinched the victory on the third playoff hole, the par-three ninth, by chipping in for birdie after missing the green, a shot that found the heart of the cup.
"It's massive," Hall said, expressing his relief and joy at the victory. He mentioned that the 300 FedEx Cup playoff points he earned might allow him to take a week off, as his wife, Jordan, is expecting their first baby next week. "I can probably afford to take the week off now," he said. "I think it was a bit dicey there, just my position in the FedEx Cup, and I probably needed to play every single week, so I'm glad that I might not have to now. Super happy."
The playoff started at the par-four 18th, where Zac Blair and Rico Hoey were eliminated with bogeys. Hall, Pierceson Coody, and Matt NeSmith all parred the second playoff hole, the 18th, to extend the contest. At the par-three ninth, Hall's crucial chip-in for birdie secured his victory.
Hall had previously taken the solo lead at 23-under with his fourth birdie of the day at the 14th hole but bogeyed the par-five 15th, closing with a three-under par 69. Hoey briefly held the lead at 23-under after his fourth birdie at the 15th but finished with a bogey at the 18th, where his second shot found the rocky edge of the water hazard. He settled for a 69 and a place in the playoff.
Coody, who led after each of the first three rounds and carded a superb 61 on Thursday, holed out for eagle at the 11th but bogeyed the 12th. He sank a 12-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to join the playoff with a final-round 70.
NeSmith and Blair had set the target at 22-under early in the day, both carding eight-under par 64s. They waited for a couple of hours before it became clear that no one in the final groups would surpass their scores. Blair, halfway to Cincinnati when he realized he could be in a playoff, turned around for a 40-minute drive back to the course.
NeSmith had an eight-foot putt to win at the first playoff hole but missed it. He also had the best birdie opportunity at the second playoff hole but knocked his 12-foot attempt two feet past. "I had two great opportunities on 18, that's all I can do," NeSmith said. "I can't be mad, I wouldn't have changed anything I did the entire way."
The top six players on the leaderboard were all chasing their first US PGA Tour title, making Hall's victory a significant milestone in his career.
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