David Lingmerth has claimed his first PGA Tour title following a play-off victory over England's Justin Rose to win the Memorial Tournament in Ohio on Sunday while Tiger Woods suffered more problems and finished last.
The 27-year-old Swede, who was leading at the halfway point before dropping to a share of second the next day, held his nerve to finish level with Rose after he carded a three under par 69 to finish 15 under before the duo took the play-off to a third hole and Lingmerth made par to triumph.
Overnight leader Rose, who clinched the title in 2010 — also his first on the PGA Tour, enjoyed a mixed round that included six birdies and six bogeys but overcame what looked like a shank from the bunker on the 18th for par to force the play-off before he was defeated.
Woods, who suffered the worst round of his career with 85 on Saturday, ended at the bottom of the leaderboard of the players that made the cut following double bogeys on the 15th and 18th along with three further bogeys and five birdies to finish two over for the round and 14 over par in total.
Jordan Spieth was the highest finishing American as he ended the weekend in joint third alongside Italian Francesco Molinari.
This year’s Masters champion claimed a strong finish with an impressive 65 to finish two shots off the lead on 13 under par with a fourth round including an eagle on the 15th as well as six birdies — a bogey on the 14th was his only blemish.
Molinari, who was in a share for second after the third round with Lingmerth, finished with 71 after suffering a double bogey on the 16th in a round where he recorded four birdies and one bogey.
Australia's Marc Leishman ended in a three-way tie for fifth alongside defending champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan and Jim Furyk on home soil.
Leishman recorded six birdies and three bogeys for a final-round 69, Matsuyama - like Molinari — slipped to a double bogey on the 16th to go with his solo bogey and five birdies for a score of 70, while 2002 winner Furyk of Pennsylvania, hit three birdies and two bogeys to finish 12 under.
One stroke further back in a three-way tie for eighth and rounding off the top 10 were American trio Tony Finau, Kevin Kisner and Keegan Bradley.
Lingmerth was delighted with his victory as he earned a handshake from tournament host Jack Nicklaus, whom he collected the trophy from.
“I can’t believe it,” the Swede told www.pgatour.com. “I’m so happy right now I don’t know where to go.”
Former world number one Woods was disappointed with his result and hopes to improve with one eye on the US Open in two weeks’ time.
He said: “I did not win, and I wasn’t even close. So hopefully in two weeks’ time, things will be a lot better and I’ll be ready to try to win a US Open.”
While Spieth was also looking forward to the US Open that gets under way on June 18 at Chambers Bay.
After coming home joint-third, he admitted he was pleased with his performance over the weekend and said: “Today I gained a lot of momentum going into the US Open no matter what happens.”
