Molder wins longest playoff at CordeValle

Published 5:00 am Monday, October 10, 2011

SAN MARTIN, Calif. — Bryce Molder knows better than most that there’s no sure thing in golf.

That wasn’t the case when he left Georgia Tech nearly a decade ago after being an All-American all four years. And it certainly wasn’t the case Sunday at the Frys.com Open in the longest playoff of the year on the PGA Tour.

Molder captured his first tour victory by making a 6-foot birdie putt on the sixth playoff hole to outlast Briny Baird.

“It’s a little surreal right now,” Molder said.

Molder and Baird were stuck in time, going from the 17th hole to the 18th hole in three cycles, matching birdies and pars, both players feeling at various points that they were going to win.

Three times, Molder hit driver on the 284-yard 17th hole over the water and had eagle putts for the win, each one a little closer to the hole than the previous one, all of them sliding by the side of the cup.

On the fourth extra hole, Baird felt like a winner when Molder drove into the hazard. Molder was able to get to the front of the green from the junk, while Baird’s wedge hit the top of the flag and spun back some 12 feet. He missed.

After nearly two hours, Baird blinked and Molder finally made a putt to win.

“You practice and work, and you just hope there’s some validating behind it,” said Molder, who won in his 132nd start on tour. “I don’t feel I deserved to win. But I happened to settle myself down to play.”

The playoff was packed with plenty of drama, and so was the rest of the sunny day at CordeValle.

Tiger Woods managed to make news when a fan ran toward the seventh green as he was putting and tossed a hot dog in his direction. The 31-year-old man was arrested and never came close to Woods.

“I guess he wanted to be in the news,” Woods said. “And I’m sure he will be.”

It was the 17th playoff this year on the PGA Tour, setting a record dating to the modern era that began in 1970.

Baird looked like a winner when he chipped in from short of the 17th green for eagle in regulation to take a one-shot lead. In the group ahead of him, Molder rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th to close with a 7-under 64, which got him into the playoff.

Baird, zero for 348 in his 12 years trying to win on tour, shot a 4-under 67. He twice had birdie putts on the 18th in the playoff to win, missing from 8 feet and 12 feet.

They finished at 17-under 267, and then looked as though they would never finish.

“Obviously, it’s more than disappointing right now,” Baird said. “I thought I’d be standing where Bryce is. I had my chances. Given a chance, you’ve got to make putts.”

If there was a consolation for Baird, he earned $540,000. Baird, who started his year with conditional status on tour, was at No. 148 on the money list and now is assured of getting his card back for next year.

Also on Sunday:

Tseng gets ninth victory of season

INCHEON, South Korea — Top-ranked Yani Tseng won the LPGA Hana Bank Championship for her sixth LPGA Tour victory of the season and ninth overall title of the year, shooting a 5-under 67 to edge two-time defending champion Na Yeon Choi by a stroke. The 22-year-old Taiwanese star, the LPGA Championship and Women’s British Open winner, finished at 14-under 202 on Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean Course.

Fowler gets first title at Korea Open

CHEONAN, South Korea — Rickie Fowler won the OneAsia Tour’s Korea Open for his first professional title, closing with a 3-under 68 for a six-stroke victory over U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy. The 22-year-old Fowler, the 2010 PGA Tour rookie of the year, finished at 16 under at Woo Jeong Hills and earned $249,864. He opened with rounds of 67 and 70 and shot a 63 on Saturday. McIlroy finished with a 64. South Korea’s Kim Meen-whee (71) was third at 10 under, and countryman Y.E. Yang (75) followed at 5 under.

Faxon wins as Champions event rained out

THE WOODLANDS, Texas — Brad Faxon won the Insperity Championship for his first Champions Tour title when heavy rain washed out the final round. Faxon, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour who turned 50 on Aug. 1, shot a 7-under 65 in windy conditions Saturday to take a one-stroke lead at 10-under at The Woodlands Country Club.

Englishman takes Madrid Masters

MADRID — England’s Lee Slattery won the Madrid Masters for his first European Tour title, finishing with a 1-under 71 for a one-stroke victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Gagli. Stattery had a 15-under 273 total at El Encin Golf Hotel. Gigli closed with a 70. Top-ranked Luke Donald, the winner last year at Real Sociedad Hipica Espanola Club de Campo, had a 72 to tie for 11th at 8 under.

Carballo gets second Nationwide win

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Argentina’s Miguel Carballo won the Children’s Hospital Classic for his second career Nationwide Tour title, making three eagles in an 8-under 64 en route to a two-stroke victory. Carballo finished at 24-under 264 at Black Creek Mountain. He earned $90,000 to jump from 21st to fifth on the money list with $248,971. The top 25 after the final three events will earn 2012 PGA Tour cards.

Birdie hands Hanefeld Senior PGA title

ALDIE, Va. — Kirk Hanefeld won the Senior PGA Professional National Championship for the second time in four years, birdieing the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Ken Martin. The 55-year-old Hanefeld, a PGA Life member from Acton, Mass., shot a 3-over 75 at Creighton Farms to finish at 6-under 282.