Travelers Championship 2021: Harris English Defeats Kramer Hickok in 8-Hole Playoff
Seventy-two holes weren't enough at the 2021 Travelers Championship. Neither were 73. Or 74. Or 75, 76, or, well, any of the remaining numbers in the 70s.
On hole No. 80, Harris English finally got the job done.
English birdied on the eighth sudden-death playoff hole to defeat Kramer Hickok and capture his fourth career PGA Tour victory and second of 2021.
The golfers finished the event at 13 under, with Hickok nailing a birdie on hole 72 to force a playoff.
Then came a battle for the ages.
English and Hickok carded matching 4s on seven consecutive holes, playing No. 18 five times and No. 17 twice. It was the sixth trip to No. 18 that was finally the deciding factor, as English converted a birdie try to win it after he missed a six-footer that would've ended proceedings sooner.
The eight-hole playoff is tied for the second-longest in PGA history (sudden-death format).
Marc Leishman finished alone in third, one stroke off the lead. Abraham Ancer was fourth at 11 under, followed by a group of five golfers at 10 under highlighted by Brooks Koepka.
Bubba Watson, sitting in sole possession of the lead at 13 under through 13 holes, imploded down the stretch. Watson had three bogeys and a double bogey over his final five holes, plummeting from first place all the way to a tie for 19th.
"I'm glad that I was there, had the opportunity. You know, I would love to do it again next week, throw up on myself again. It would be great," Watson told reporters after the round.
On the opposite end of the spectrum were Leishman and Ancer, who ascended into contention with stellar rounds. Leishman carded six birdies without a bogey as part of a brilliant 64 that left him just a shot behind English and Hickok, while Ancer shot a five-under 65.
Koepka finished in the top five for the third time in four tournaments as he prepares to head to Europe ahead of the Open Championship. The four-time major winner says he plans to vacation before gearing himself up for Royal St George's.
"It's all mental. It's tough to focus like that for—I'm going to be flat out honest. I can't focus—a major I get excited and I feel stuff on the first tee; I just struggle to do that in regular events," Koepka said, per Max Schreiber of Golf Channel. "The focus and discipline is there in a major, where it's not here. I kind of go for everything."
English, who won Sentry Tournament of Champions earlier this year, now sits second in FedEx Cup standings. He'll be looking to top a career-best of 15th in next month's Open Championship.
