Rose tops Spaun in playoff to win PGA St Jude title
The St Jude Championship victory is Justin Rose's his twelfth title on the PGA tour. Photo: Reuters
Justin Rose reeled off four straight back-nine birdies to force a playoff then birdied the third hole of sudden death to beat J J Spaun for the St Jude Championship as Tommy Fleetwood endured more PGA Tour agony.
England's Rose, the 2013 US Open champion, had six birdies on Sunday over his last eight holes including the playoff – climbing up the congested leaderboard with birdies at 14, 15, 16 and 17 in regulation.
His final-round 67 pulled him level with reigning US Open champion Spaun on 16-under par 264 at TPC Southwind – where overnight leader Fleetwood had a two-shot lead with three holes remaining but faltered with a bogey at 17 in a one-under 69 that left him tied for third with Scottie Scheffler on 15-under 265.
Spaun carded a five-under 65 in the final round, posting back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 – where he rolled in a 20-foot putt – to put himself in the playoff.
"That was an amazing last 90 minutes, really," said Rose, the 45-year-old who finished runner-up to Rory McIlroy in a playoff at the Masters in April. "Played unbelievable golf coming down the stretch."
Rose claimed his 12th US tour title, and his first since Pebble Beach in 2023.
Rose started the day one shot off the lead and was two-over for the day through nine holes. His challenge seemed stalled after he followed a birdie at the 10th with a bogey at 12, but a 15-foot birdie at the 14th launched his comeback.
He drained a 10-foot birdie at 15, got up and down from a greenside bunker for birdie at 16 and curled in a 22-foot birdie putt at 17. His 13-footer for the outright win at the 72nd hole just missed and he and Spaun returned to 18 for the playoff.
Both two-putted for par – Rose after a tee shot that nearly found the water. They posted matching birdies the next time around – Spaun drilling a 30-foot putt and Rose making his seven-footer.
They returned to 18 again, this time with a new hole location, and after Rose rattled in his 11-footer, Spaun sent his seven-foot birdie attempt past the cup.
"Never stopped believing," said Rose. "I've been saying for some time when I bring my best, I know I'm good enough to play and compete and to now win against the best players in the world, so very gratifying day for me and a lot of hard work kind of coming to fruition." (AFP)
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