Finally, the sun came out over THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson. Taylor Pendrith was directly under it.
The 32-year-old Canadian won his first PGA TOUR title in 74 starts on Sunday after a heartbreaking stretch of holes that saw his one-shot lead shared on the 16th and lost on the 17th. He holed a short putt for birdie at the par-5 finisher. On a scorching, rainy TPC Craig Ranch, he scored a final-round 67 to finish at 23-under par and defeat Ben Kohles by one.
For the most part of the day, Pendrith led following the 1.9 inches of rain that fell the previous night. The day began with menacing skies.
At the 8th par-4, he made bogey and Kohles made birdie, giving up that lead. It was at that time that the sun first emerged. Shortly after, on the 9th par-5, Pendrith two-putted for a birdie; Kohles finished with par. At the turn, they were tied, followed closely by players like Aaron Rai, Matt Wallace, Alex Noren, and Jake Knapp.
More rain, usual for May in North Texas, was predicted by forecasters. However, none dropped. At times, the atmosphere was almost still, an uncommon sight at the yearly spring tournament named for one of the best players in tournament golf history. The last nine holes were light and airy after three days of spitting mist and cloudy sky.
The other candidates fumbled late. Not Kohles, not Pendrith. Kohles birdied the par-4 16th and par-3 17th holes, Pendrith nailed gritty putts for par. However, on the final hole, Kohles mishandled a short greenside putt from deep rough and then lost the 5-foot par putt that would have forced a playoff.
Pendrith claimed it happened so quickly, going from believing he needed to tie the game with an eagle to steeling himself for a three-footer. He hammered it home.
“The last hour was all a blur. Having completed it at last feels amazing.” Pendrith said.
Pendrith was marking his ball on the final green when his friend Mackenzie Hughes came galloping out of the locker room, clutching three cans of cool Miller Lite. Pendrith’s friend, a fellow citizen and old Kent State teammate, pushed his way through the crowd to witness the eagerly anticipated victory. He gave Pendrith the drinks, but not before spilling some over his caddie and Pendrith’s shirt in jubilation. He also kept one for himself.
“We play this weird game. Taylor probably had the same thought. There he was, waiting for the chance.” Hughes said.
It was a gesture he thought Pendrith deserved. Pendrith drove four hours and got up early to watch Hughes compete in the 2016 RSM Classic. Hughes prevailed.
“He has to go enjoy himself. They’re hard to come by.” said Hughes , a two time Tour winner.
With the victory, Pendrith gains 500 FedExCup points, shooting him up 57 places to 34th in the rankings. Together with a two-year exemption, he won $1.7 million. That means he’ll have to arrange transportation to Charlotte for the Wells Fargo Championship, a Signature Event, instead of spending next week at the beach with his wife Megan. Everything is different now.
“I’ve led by 54 holes before and failed to finish. I took a lot of lessons from it and made an effort to behave a little better today—stay in my own lane, focus, and get to work. It seems unbelievable to win this game.” Pendrith said.
He trailed Kohles by one shot after making a difficult, snaking putt on the seventeenth. On the 18th, both players made solid drives. In two, only Pendrith discovered the green. The pressure returned to Pendrith. Kohles stated, “You live and learn,” after failing to accelerate through his own putt.
Birdie’s putt was longer than he would have liked. Taking a long breath, he steadied himself above the ball. He made an effort to ignore how important it was.
“You’ve had the straightest putt of the year with this one. Simply tap it in.” his caddie told him.
Pendrith had never thought of mental toughness as a strength. However, he added that he had been “just working on acceptance” with a mental coach for roughly six weeks. As he relaxed over the putt that would change his career, he reminded himself of their labour. The gallery was applauding him moments later. Hayes, his little baby, and his wife were racing out to greet him and give him hugs.
“Our intended destination was Myrtle Beach. At this point, we need to plan our route to Charlotte and our accommodations.” Megan Pendrith said.
She grinned after catching herself.
“All fantastic issues,” she uttered.
An another hour passed in a blur. Pendrith took part in the awarding of his first trophy. Interviews with him began when he was a TOUR winner. He gave several handshakes. He drank another beer.
“It’s not quite real at the moment” he remarked.
Then there he was, answering questions about how it all felt and what it all meant while seated at a table and holding a microphone. He told the story of his round, stressing his routine, sharing how he battled a shoulder ailment, thinking back on the grind, remembering the missed cuts, praising Kohles’s performance, marvelling at the brutality of the game, and revelling in its beauty.
“It’s weird to see some of those names on this trophy, and it feels unreal. The fact that I won this competition still amazes me.” Pendrith said.
