WHEELING, W.Va. — David Bradshaw found some life in his putter to win his fourth West Virginia Open.
By Bradshaw’s own account, he could not make a putt all day. With a one-stroke lead on the final hole of the three-hole playoff Friday, he drained an 8-foot birdie to hold off John Ross, who was 2 feet away from a possible tie.
“I made one putt today, and that was enough on the last hole,” a relieved Bradshaw said. “That’s all it takes.”
Ross and Bradshaw had finished the third round tied at 2-under-par on Oglebay Resort’s Palmer Course.
During the round, three of Bradshaw’s putts lipped out — two for birdie and another for par. He also missed a straight 3-footer for birdie on the 16th hole that would have given him the outright lead at 3 under par.
Even the putting green was unkind to Bradshaw before the playoff began. Taking about 10 swings from 10 feet on the practice green above the first tee, not one went in and four rimmed out of the hole, an all-too familiar sight for the now four-time time Open champion.
“Some days you got it and some you don’t,” Bradshaw said. “The putter has always been my biggest struggle, and it’s what has kept me off the tour. I’m a good enough ball striker and I know it. I have to get a little better with my wedges, and I have to get a lot better putting.”
The 57-year-old Ross, a Freeman pro who won the Open in 1997 and 1999, shot a 4 under-par 67 to move into contention after starting the day at 2 over. Ross’ round included six birdies, with three coming in the final seven holes of regulation.
Ross, playing ahead of Bradshaw, had a chance to take the lead on the 18th hole of regulation. His drive was just short of the green on the 291-yard par 4, but he missed his birdie putt to force the playoff.
“I’m thinking that David is going to birdie 18. It’s a risk-reward hole,” Ross said about his approach. “You can lay up and play it with a lob wedge or try and drive the green. I ended up a couple of yards short and couldn’t make birdie. Just to have a chance to win is a good feeling.”
Ross scrambled for par from the bunker on the first hole of the playoff to stay even with Bradshaw into the second hole of the playoff — a par 5. From the middle of the fairway, Bradshaw hit on the green in two shots and made birdie.
“It was essential that I hit the second green in two,” said Bradshaw, a Harpers Ferry native. “That was the biggest shot for me because I could just not find the hole.”
Charleston’s Bosten Miller finished third at 1 under and four others tied for fourth place at even par. Miller, a rising Marshall University sophomore, played in the final group with Bradshaw and Bob Friend and was 3 over through two holes but rebounded with six birdies.
“It’s a great experience because come next year I’ll be in the same spot and I guarantee I won’t do something like four putt No. 2. It’s just another level of golf,” Miller said.
It was the first time an Open was decided in a playoff between two former champions since Brad Westfall defeated Scott Davis in 1994 on Oglebay’s Speidel Course.
“It’s such a good feeling to win, and it’s such a good feeling to come back here,” said Bradshaw, who earned $6,000. “There is a lot of camaraderie in the West Virginia Open. I’ve played many tours and it’s cutthroat out there.”
Golf
Related Photos
Bradshaw wins WVa Open in playoff
- Golf
-
-
McIlroy: Now I know I'm the best
Winning the U.S. Open last year didn't just earn Rory McIlroy his first major title, it made him believe he was ready to become the best player in the world.
-
Woods insists he’s close to regularly contending
Tiger Woods insists he is close to contending on a weekly basis, even if recent results suggest otherwise.
-
Dufner birdies way to lead at Byron Nelson
Standing over his ball in a swale behind the 18th green, Jason Dufner would have been content with a par and a spot in the big group tied for the lead in the Byron Nelson Championship.
-
Zach Johnson takes Players’ lead
After breaking 70 for the first time in seven weeks, Tiger Woods headed to the back of the practice range at the TPC Sawgrass to fine-tune his swing. That was much better than going to the clubhouse to clean out his locker.
-
McIlroy finding a balance in golf and life
Rory McIlroy went home to Northern Ireland after the Masters and left his clubs behind in Florida. He didn’t touch them again until he returned last week to start gearing up for a big summer that includes his title defense at the U.S. Open.
-
Nicklaus hasn’t forgotten his most magical shots
Now 72 years old, Jack Nicklaus jokes that he can’t remember what happened yesterday.
-
Bradley should be a lock for Presidents Cup
Until winning the PGA Championship, the coolest thing in golf that happened to Keegan Bradley during his amazing rookie season was getting a phone call from Fred Couples in May after he won his first PGA Tour event.
-
Gindlesberger leads Southern in opener
Billy Gindlesberger shot a one-over par 37 at Oakland Golf Club Tuesday to lead Southern to a season-opening tri-match win over Northern and Bishop Walsh in high school golf.
-
Those who know Woods’ game: He’s down, not out
The kid standing behind 15-year-old Tiger Woods on the tee at Torrey Pines was two years older and already a hotshot himself on Southern California’s rough-and-tumble amateur golf circuit the first time he saw the look.
-
Fowler part of 4-way tie as Woods falters
Rickie Fowler had eight birdies and an eagle to give himself another shot at winning. Adam Scott did well enough to stay in the lead. PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley got in on the action late.
- More Golf Headlines
-
