Abraham Ancer Makes History At WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational
Abraham Ancer Makes History At WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational
Abraham Ancer made history at TPC Southwind, becoming the first Mexican to win a World Golf Championship event.
Abraham Ancer Makes History At WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational
Fans were treated to yet another tense playoff, with Ancer facing off against Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Sam Burns.
In the Mexican's 121st start on the PGA Tour, he would birdie the second playoff hole to not only claim his first Tour title, but also Mexico's first ever WGC win.
"In regulation play I had an opportunity to win, but I probably have a few bruises on my back after that putt. I didn't want to leave it short. I said, you can hit the putt seven-feet by and I still left it short. I was so mad at myself, cause I knew it was going to be an important putt.
"In the playoff, I told my caddie with the second shot that I'm going to go right at it, and it came out exactly how I thought it was going to in my mind. It was perfect."
After four runner-up finishes in his career, Ancer started four shots back of overnight leader Harris English.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
As the front nine wore on though, the Mexican failed to make any real inroads to English, who was beginning to fend off challenges from Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.
However, as the field moved into the back nine, mistakes were starting to occur for the leading pack, with English and DeChambeau both finding the water and making double bogey at the par-3 12th.
Up ahead, Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who started the round nine shots back of the lead, was making the biggest move on the final day, with his final round 63 catapulting him into the clubhouse lead.
Not long after his 63, Matsuyama was joined by American Sam Burns, who produced three birdies over the last holes for a final round 64 and a share of 16-under-par with the Masters champion.
With the target set, Ancer would birdie the 13th to join them. However, he couldn't capitalise over the remaining holes. His two-under-par total good enough for a three-way share of the clubhouse lead.
Squandering their advantage over the back nine. English would produce yet another double bogey on a par-3, with his playing partner, DeChambeau, bogeying the 15th.
As the final torturous holes concluded, DeChambeau would eventually finish four shots off the leaders, with English missing a 10-footer at the last to join the playoff.
Heading up the 18th, we would see Matsuyama come closest to claiming the title at the first playoff hole. His birdie putt grazing the right edge of the hole and savagely lipping out.
As the trio played the 18th again we were treated to two stunning approaches from Ancer and Burns, with both men placing their wedge shots to more or less identical lengths from the hole.
Putting first, Matsuyama would be eliminated from the playoff, with his birdie attempt yet again coming agonisingly close to dropping from 20-feet or so.
With the Japanese star out, it was up to Ancer to make the first move. Casually standing over his five-foot putt, he would stroke it in to the centre of the cup for a classy birdie.
Facing an almost identical shot, everyone expected Burns to follow, but his putt would dramatically hit the low side of the hole, horseshoeing out and leaving Ancer to celebrate his famous victory.
Speaking after his round, Ancer said: "I'll be honest when I was walking up I thought that Harris had made that putt on 17 for birdie. So, when I saw the score I thought I needed a birdie at the last, but then they told me that I was in a playoff and I was just so confused.
"But we regrouped and I played 18 through my mind on the range and now we are here. This is surreal. I left so many shots out there on the back nine, but golf is crazy. Sometimes I feel I made enough birdies to win and I don't, and sometimes it's the other way round, but I guess that is how it goes."
Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
-
Which Players Secured A DP World Tour Card At The 2024 Challenge Tour Grand Final?
The Challenge Tour Grand Final threw up drama yet again, as 22 players secured their playing rights and cards to the DP World Tour next season
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The DP World Tour Golfer
Neergaard-Petersen is one of the big names emerging in European golf and, in this piece, we list some facts you may not know about the Dane
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Rory McIlroy Gym Routine... Revealed!
In this Rory McIlroy Gym Routine article we discover how the Northern Irishman keeps himself so fit
By Neil Tappin Published
-
What Is Tiger Woods' Net Worth?
Tiger Woods became the first billion dollar athlete in 2009
By Elliott Heath Last updated
-
The Masters Live Stream: How To Watch The Major
Here are all the details on how you can watch the Major wherever you are in the world.
By Sam Tremlett Published
-
Five Outsiders Who Could Win The Masters
We consider five players who might surprise the favourites and claim victory at Augusta
By Fergus Bisset Published
-
Who Is Tiger Woods’ Girlfriend?
Find out more on who the American professional golfer is going out with here.
By Matt Cradock Last updated
-
Bermuda Championship Golf Betting Tips 2021
Who is the GM Tipster backing to win this week in Bermuda?
By Jeremy Chapman Published
-
Jeff Winther Claims Maiden European Tour Title
Jeff Winther Claims Maiden European Tour Title
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Fredrik Andersson Hed Passes Away Following Battle With Cancer
Fredrik Andersson Hed Passes Away Following Battle With Cancer
By Matt Cradock Published