Brian Campbell wins John Deere Classic for 2nd playoff victory this year
It extended the win-or-bust season for Campbell, who won the Mexico Open in a playoff in late February. He has finished out of the top 30 every tournament except for his two victories.
This one might be enough to get him into the British Open, depending on how high up he moves in the world ranking published Monday, traditionally used as the alternate list.
Campbell appeared to have control of the tournament with three birdies in a four-hole stretch to start the back nine. But he fell back with a double bogey into the trees on the 15th, and it was a wild scramble to the finish.
Grillo, who also closed with a 67, took the lead when Campbell made double bogey, only to three-putt for bogey on the 16th.
Campbell, one of the shorter hitters on tour, blasted a 3-wood to 18 feet for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 17th and narrowly missed a 25-foot birdie on the 18th. He was the first player to post at 18-under 266.
Grillo got up-and-down for birdie on the 17th, holing an 8-foot putt, and caught a bad break on the 18th when his drive settled into a divot. He hit wedge to just inside 40 feet and two-putted for par to join Campbell at 266.
David Lipsky was poised to join them when he hit a punch 3-wood to 8 feet for eagle on the 17th to tie for the lead. But he hooked his drive on the 18th, couldn't reach the green, and his 15-foot par putt to get into the playoff caught the left lip and spun away. He shot 68 and tied for third with Kevin Roy (65).
The playoff lacked any real drama. Campbell hit a beautiful trap draw to about 15 feet on the 18th. Grillo, who caught a break when his drive to the right was sitting up in trampled rough, sent long over the green. His flop shot didn't quite reach the putting surface, and his par attempt from some 25 feet never had a chance.
'I got myself there. I gave myself a chance,' Grillo said. 'I made some good putts. Hit a good putt on the 72nd and that's all I can do.'
Campbell becomes the fifth player this year to have multiple victories in individual tournaments on the PGA Tour, joining Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Sepp Straka and Ryan Fox.
He finished about a half-hour ahead of the final group, but Campbell chose to stay in the clubhouse to see if his score would hold up instead of staying loose on the practice range. He said it was hot enough that it was better to cool off and get some rest, and there was no arguing with the result — he drilled his drive down the middle and put all the pressure on Grillo with his approach to the green.
Max Homa, winless in more than two years, ran off three straight birdies early in the round to briefly take the lead. He played the last 14 holes in 1 over, missing key putts to stay in the game, and wound up with a 69 to tie for fifth. It was his first top 10 on the PGA Tour in nearly 15 months.
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