English finishes fifth at Mayakoba

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico (AP) — Two tournaments, two victories.

They didn’t make Brendon Todd forget about the dark years, when he had the full yips so bad he didn’t know where the ball was going and made only two cuts in 35 events he played over three years.

They just made him appreciate how good it feels to be back.

Todd returned Monday morning and quickly holed an 18-foot birdie putt for a one-shot lead, then closed with two nervy pars for a 3-under 68 to win the Mayakoba Golf Classic for his second straight PGA Tour victory. He won the inaugural Bermuda Championship two weeks ago.

“It’s just amazing how fast this game can turn,” Todd said. “It turned fast in the wrong direction for me in 2015, it turned fast the other direction for me, so I’m enjoying it and I’m just going to keep grinding.”

Todd earned a trip back to the Masters for the first time in five years, and his second victory moves him atop the FedEx Cup standings with one tournament remaining at home in Sea Island before the PGA Tour takes a short winter break.

Todd was tied with Vaughn Taylor when they were among 12 players who had to return to El Camaleon to finish the tournament, which didn’t start until Friday because of heavy rain along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

He made birdie for the lead and looked to have the tournament in hand when Taylor and Harris English caught bad lies in the bunker and Todd blasted out to 3 feet on the 16th hole. English made double bogey from a ball plugged so badly in took two to get out of the sand. Taylor, who had a ridge of sand behind his ball that kept him from being able to put spin on his shot, could only blast out to 10 feet and he missed the par putt.

English, who started the final round one shot back, closed with a 70 with a solo fifth-place finish.

Todd only had to tap in for a two-shot lead. But he missed, leaving his lead at one shot with two tough holes remaining.

“It made me more nervous and it probably gave Vaughn a little more confidence, so I would say it had a big impact,” Todd said of his short miss. “I was literally walking around that green thinking I had a two-shot lead and feeling pretty comfortable. And that wasn’t the case.”

He had to make a 4-foot par to avoid at three-putt at the 17th. On the closing hole, Todd went from a decent lie in the rough left of the fairway to another decent lie left of the green, and the shot became a little more difficult when Taylor laced his approach to 15 feet away for a birdie chance.

Todd lofted a pitch to just over 3 feet. Taylor, with a chance to at least force a playoff, watched his putt stop one turn away from dropping in the center of the cup.

“Warming up this morning the greens were a little slow,” said Taylor, trying to win for the first time since Pebble Beach in 2016. “I was a little nervous, so usually come up short when I’m nervous.”

He closed with a 68 in his bid to win for the first time since Pebble Beach in 2016.

Todd rapped in his par and exhaled, finishing at 20-under 264 and winning back-to-back in a game that feels a lot easier than it once did.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “I’m just overcome with emotion right now.”

Carlos Ortiz, who chose to return in the morning while his two playing partners raced to finish before dark Sunday night, needed a birdie on an 18th hole that yielded only four birdies to 164 players over the final two rounds. He did well to scramble for par and a 66, and then he waited to see if it would be enough.

Trying to win before a home crowd in Mexico, Ortiz came up one short of his first PGA Tour victory. He tied for second with Taylor and Adam Long (66).

“I tried to do my best. I think I played great golf,” Ortiz said. “I’m pretty happy with the way I played this week.”

He wins the Premio Trophy as the low Mexican at the Mayakoba Classic. Abraham Ancer tied for eighth, giving the tournament two Mexicans in the top 10.

Local News

Thomasville Center for the Arts showcases youth art and announces YAM Competition winners

Education

Johnson chosen as Garrison-Pilcher’s Teacher of the Year

Local News

Rotary Club of Thomasville offers free tax preparation for retired residents

Local News

Incident Reports & Arrests 03-19

Local News

Anne McCudden steps down as History Center Director

Local News

Spring and March pointers in the landscape!

Local News

Pope’s Museum to debut new mural, exhibit on Saturday

Local News

Dan Bellamy wins 2nd Place Large Artistic Sculpture at International Twist & Shout competition

Local News

Reps. Taylor and Cannon enter final stretch of Legislative Session

Local News

Imagine Thomasville celebrates ribbon cutting for the Army Recruiting Station

Local News

First Commerce’s Barbara Williams-Anderson named Imagine Thomasville’s Woman of the Year

Local News

Two new bronze sculptures unveiled in Downtown Thomasville

Education

Valdosta State University announces Fall 2024 graduates

Education

The Warrior dedicated to Ramsey

Education

Dining for Education Scholarship event sets new record

Education

Thomasville City Schools introduces Bulldog +1 Program

Education

CHS named Region 1-AAA Literary Champions

Local News

City to host stormwater utility public information session

Local News

Thomasville Chapter DAR features program by Thomasville History Center Executive Director Anne McCudden

Local News

Incident Reports & Arrests 03-12

Local News

FLOST Referendum early voting wraps up this week

Education

Rotary Club helps fund CyberStingers’ trip to World Championship

Local News

City of Thomasville’s Family Movie Night returns to Ritz on March 15

Local News

Unlocking financial freedom: How to protect and grow your wealth in uncertain times