Sporting a weak attempt at a playoff beard, Steve Stricker birdied the second playoff hole Sunday afternoon for his first victory in two years.  Imagine those cartoon bubbles appearing over his head after his four footer for birdie went in the hole, the biggest bubble filled with the word FINALLY!.  After five top seven finishes this season, including twice where he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, Mr. Stricker is taking home a big trophy and a funky sports coat.  Not to mention a million dollar plus paycheck and enough FedEx Cup points to vault him to second place.  This win should also lock up a spot on the Presidents Cup team.  Not that he didn’t try and finish out of the top spot along the way. 

Previously his tee balls were the shots erasing his chances at victory, today it was his putter that tried to keep him somewhere between second and fifth place.  Highly unusual given the fact Mr. Stricker has long been considered one of the better putters on tour,   although from between 3-5 ft he is worse than mediocre according to Peter Kostis.  That stood out when he missed a four foot par putt on the 16th hole to fall two shots behind then leader Tim Clark.  The four footer on the second playoff hole went right in the center.

Mr. Clark was the victim of lousy luck on the second playoff hole when his approach shot hit the flagstick and ended up 20 feet from the hole.  A tough break, for the man who has won the most money without a victory on tour.  His record is a dismal 0 for 184.  Don’t feel too bad about that break however, as Mr. Clark kicked this tournament away much earlier than that shot.  “I can’t take anything positive from today,” said Clark “I have a lot of work to do when it comes to closing out golf tournaments.”  That qualifies as the understatement of the year.  Standing on the 14th tee he had a two shot lead, which by the time he got to the 18th tee was a one shot lead.  Simple, make par win first tournament, monkey on back wanders off into the sunset looking for another back.  Not so much.  Snipe tee shot left into really nasty spot, have to chip out to fairway, knock approach 9 feet from hole, make putt, win tournament ya da ya da.  Trouble occured when Mr. Clark left that 9 foot putt short.  That’s right, he left it short.  Ouch.  &*$%.  &*$%^*& short. 

 Ok ok, playoff and chance to replay the 18th hole.  This time Mr. Clark left himself 7 feet for birdie and the win.  Pulled that one left.  Gulp.  Then on the second playoff hole comes the hit flagstick and Mr. Stricker’s birdie, another second place finish.  It was quite hard to watch, that meltdown. 

Steve Marino was the third member of the playoff group. He kept rolling putts so tantalizingly close over the back nine I kept thinking one of those had to go into hole, but finished the final nine holes with all pars.  He repeated that scene on the first playoff hole, getting oh so close to making birdie.  A poor teeshot on the second playoff hole and that was the end of his day, although second place tie is not too bad at this point in his career.  “Obviously it’s disappointing,” Marino said. “But I’m playing well right now and I’m excited about playing golf and feel good about my game.” 

Notice the difference between Mr. Marino’s quote and Mr. Clark’s.  Second place can look so different depending on one’s perspective.

Note to Mr. Stricker,  lose the beard.  Please.