Could the RBC Canadian Open be the tournament that the PGA Tour doesn’t encounter another questionable ruling? Of course not! On Sunday during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open, Charley Hoffman was tied for the lead with Jhonattan Vegas at the time, found the bunker off the tee on the par-3 12th at Glen Abbey and caught a terrible fried egg lie.
During the final round of the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, Charley Hoffman was tied for the lead with Jhonattan Vegas when he found the bunker off of the tee on the par-3 12th hole at Glen Abbey Golf Club and caught a terrible fried egg lie.
After attempting to take a stance, Hoffman called over the rules official to show him that his foot was resting on concrete lining underneath the sand. After pleading his case, the rules official gave the approval for him to take relief. While he still had to drop in the sand, the lie was nowhere near as bad as his original.
“That is so generous,” playing partner Kevin Chappell can be heard saying on air. Then took it a little further with some good, old-fashioned ribbing: “Look at that s***-eating grin on his face!”
As it turns out Hoffman failed to get it on the green and made bogey. Karma, anyone?
However, the day belonged to Jhonattan Vegas who successfully defended his title in a sudden-death playoff against Hoffman. It was déjà vu for the 32-year-old Venezuelan who came from behind just like he did a year ago, firing a final-round 7-under 65 en route to his third career PGA Tour victory.
While coming into any event off of five straight missed cuts can be daunting, Vegas found solace knowing the Glen Abbey layout had been kind to him in the past, and it showed on Sunday.
What a finish!@JhonattanVegas wins the @RBCCanadianOpen in back-to-back years.
He claims his third PGA TOUR title. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/o2BnUWooCu
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 30, 2017
Starting the day three strokes off the lead, Vegas went out in a scorching 5-under par 30 and climbed his way up the leaderboard. The back nine wasn’t much different as Vegas added two more birdies on 11 and 13. Although he did make bogey on the par-3 14th, he got it right back with a birdie on the par-5 16th and posted the clubhouse lead at 21-under.
Hoffman had a chance to win it in regulation with an eagle on the par-5 18th, but his putt for the win just slid by forcing extra holes.
The pair headed back to the 18th hole and both players promptly found fairway bunkers off the tee. Hoffman opted to lay up, but Vegas decided to give it ago. His approach narrowly avoided disaster as it caromed off the top of the lip and bounded through the green. Vegas then chipped it to a foot – after blowing that very same chip by the hole in regulation – and won when Hoffman’s birdie bid from the back bunker failed to drop.
“It’s incredible. It doesn’t get any better,” Vegas said after the round about going back-to-back.
Ian Poulter made the most of yet another opportunity after almost losing his Tour card posting a solo third, while Gary Woodland finished in fourth. Current World No.1 Dustin Johnson posted a final round 5-under 67 which was good enough for a tie for eighth.
Here’s a look at the final round highlights and results from the 2017 RBC Canadian Open:
The next stop on the PGA Tour is the WGC-Bridgestone at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio.
— — —
Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest goings-on in the world of golf by following the SwingxSwing Clubhouse on social media. We share stories, stats and breaking news on Twitter, keep the fun going off the course on Instagram and share any and all golf-related topics on Facebook.
Never be the odd golfer out when your friends are talking about the latest or funniest happenings in golf. Sign up for the SxS newsletter today!
