Huge eagle propels Ben Martin to first PGA Tour win in Vegas
In Vegas, go big or go home. Ben Martin did just that to notch his first PGA Tour win on Sunday at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin.
Neck and neck with Kevin Streelman and defending champion Webb Simpson, Martin made a 45-foot eagle putt at the par-5 16th to regain a lead that was two shots at the start of the day and as high as four on the back nine. After a textbook tee shot and approach to 20 feet at the par-4 finisher, the Clemson product calmly drained the birdie putt for a two-shot win.
“It was an awesome way to finish,” said Martin, who also birdied the 15th hole in a fierce final stretch. “I didn’t feel like I had much going all day. Four under on my last four to cap my first win was just awesome.”
Not only did the eagle give Martin the advantage again, it may well have stymied Streelman’s great run into contention. The Duke product has stuck his approach to the 18th to five feet as Martin hit a gutsy 6-iron over water from 197 yards. Martin drained his unexpected eagle putt from beyond the hole. Streelman missed his birdie putt.
“I saw I was 1 up on the 18th green, and then I saw I was 1 down,” Streelman said.
Martin, who posted 20-under 264, gets a second trip to the Masters in April. He was last there in 2010 when he qualified as runner-up in the prior year’s U.S. Amateur.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
