Luke List Secures Dramatic Maiden Victory At Torrey Pines

Torrey Pines produced yet another incredible final day of action, as Luke List defeated Will Zalatoris at the first playoff hole to secure his maiden PGA Tour title.

The event, which saw a Saturday conclusion instead of a normal Sunday finish, had been hotly contested by the likes of world number one, Jon Rahm, a returning Jason Day, as well as Justin Thomas and Sungjae Im.

However, after a six-under-par final round, it was 37-year-old, List, who picked up the title. The American was made to wait though, having to keep lose on the range as he waited for an hour and a half for the remaining groups to finish off their final few holes. 

Eventually though, List found himself in a playoff against one of golf's rising stars in Zalatoris and, with the pair matching each other shot for shot, it was List who got the better of his youthful opponent, spinning a wedge shot at the first playoff to a few inches and tapping in for a winning birdie.

Beginning the final day, the main headlines centred around the players at the top of the leaderboard, with Zalatoris and Day holding one shot advantages over Rahm and Englishman, Aaron Rai.

As the final round got underway, the leaderboard was changing consistently, with players unable to break out of the huge logjam of 13 and 14-under-par. As they jostled for position, it was List who broke out from the pack, with four consecutive birdies at the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th catapulting him into the top-10.

A further birdie followed at the 12th, with his sixth birdie of the day at the 16th momentarily putting him into the share of the lead with Zalatoris. A bogey followed at the 17th, before a stunning birdie at the last set the clubhouse target at 15-under-par, a score that would give his rivals something to think about.

A reaction was needed from some of the players in the congested pack, and a reaction is what occurred, with Jason Day producing the shot of the day at the par-4 14th, holing out for eagle and joining the duo of List and Zalatoris at 15-under-par.

The Australian would fizzle out though over the remaining holes, leaving it up to his playing partner to fight it out for victory. Playing the last, Zalatoris produced a fantastic wedge shot, however, the 25-year-old was once again let down by his infamous putting, with his weak effort for victory finishing on the edge of the hole.

With light fading at Torrey Pines, we headed for a playoff, with realistically only one hole of action likely to be played. 

After an hour and a half wait, it was List to tee off first, with his drive harshly plugging in the fairway bunker. That mistake, left Zalatoris a wide fairway to aim at, but he couldn't capitalise, with his 300-yard drive finishing three inches away from List's ball in the bunker!

As both splashed out to the 120-yard mark, it was List to play first and, if Zalatoris felt under pressure before, he was definitely under the cosh as he saw his opponents wedge shot finish right next to the hole. 

Following List, Zalatoris did mirror his approach shot that he produced in regulation play, with the ball spinning off the ridge and finishing an almost identical length to that of half an hour ago.

As List tapped-in, it was down to the young American to hole his putt and extend the playoff, but, Zalatoris couldn't follow, with a carbon-copy of his putt in regulation play staying out, therefore handing the trophy to List.

With the win, the 37-year-old earns a spot at the Masters in April and moves to just outside the top-50 of the world rankings.