Graeme McDowell wins OHL Classic in three-man playoff for 1st Tour win since ’13
Graeme McDowell is a winner again on the PGA Tour, taking the OHL Classic at Mayakoba on Monday on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against Jason Bohn and last week’s WGC-HSBC Champions winner Russell Knox.
All three players finished at 18-under 270 at El Camaleon Golf Club, with Knox bogeying the final hole of regulation to drop in the extra session.
On the lone playoff hole, McDowell played first with a 5-iron and struck a nearly perfect shot, rolling past the hole to within 3 feet for birdie. With the pressure on, Bohn and Knox could not answer with equally impressive second shots. Neither were able to make birdie, clearing the stage for McDowell to make his putt to win.
For McDowell, it’s his first win since the 2013 RBC Heritage and it follows a 2014-15 PGA Tour season in which the 2010 U.S. Open champion notched just one top-10 finish in 25 worldwide starts, a T-9 at the European Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic in February.
The Ulsterman admitted afterward to wondering if he’d get back in this position.
“Am I finished? Am I good enough? You ask yourself those questions,” McDowell said.
Derek Fathauer, the 54-hole leader, closed with even-par 71 to finish alone in fourth, two shots out of the playoff. Scott Brown and rookie Harold Varner III finished tied for fifth at 14 under par.
The win also ends a never-before-seen streak of first-time winners to open the season. The first five events were won by breakthrough PGA Tour champions, including Knox’s win in China last week.
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
