William McGirt watches his second shot on the 18th hole during the final round of the Memorial tournament on Sunday in Dublin, Ohio.Andy Lyons/Getty Images
William McGirt thought he hit it big when he won the Cabarrus Classic and pocketed $16,000 (U.S.), the second-largest prize on the Tar Heel Tour.
That was in 2007, and it felt like a lifetime ago compared with the perks from winning the Memorial on Sunday.
The victory was worth $1.53-million and a three-year exemption for a guy who once dreamed of simply having a PGA Tour card.
Waiting to congratulate him was tournament host Jack Nicklaus, who raved about the bunker shot on the 18th hole that kept McGirt in the playoff at Muirfield Village, and the flop shot from behind the 18th green that led to a six-foot putt and his first PGA Tour victory in his 165th try.
U.S. Open qualifying? Take the day off.
McGirt moves up to No. 43 in the world and was assured a spot in his first national championship.
"It will all sink in at some point," McGirt said.
This was a long time coming.
McGirt couldn't count all the mini-tours he played and the self-doubts he ignored, including a four-month stretch during which he only saw his wife for four days. But on Sunday against the strongest field of the year for a regular PGA Tour event, McGirt made his first victory one to remember.
He played the final 22 holes at Muirfield Village without a bogey. His final par in regulation was the most important, a two-putt from 65 feet for a one-under 71 that allowed him to join Jon Curran (70) in a playoff at 15-under 273.
Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., was the low Canadian after shooting 74, putting him in a tie for 11th at 11 under. He had started the day one stroke back of the leaders, but he bogeyed five times.
David Hearn (68) of Brantford, Ont., was tied at 27th at nine under.
Johnson finished alone in third – his fifth finish in the top five this season – while Rory McIlroy (68) tied for fourth with Kuchar (73), Woodland (73) and J.B. Holmes (69).
Jason Day, a Muirfield Village member and No. 1 in the world, got to within two shots of the lead until he tumbled to a 74 and tied for 27th.
Nordqvist successfully defends title
Anna Nordqvist successfully defended her ShopRite LPGA Classic title Sunday, closing with a seven-under 64 in breezy conditions for a one-stroke victory over Haru Nomura.
The 28-year-old Swede became the oldest tour winner this year by more than five years and the first to successfully defend a title since Inbee Park won the KPMG Women's PGA for the third straight time last year.
Nordqvist finished at 17-under 196 on Stockton Seaview's Donald Ross-designed Bay Course to tie the tournament record that Annika Sorenstam set in 1998 and matched in 2005.
Brooke Henderson, of Smiths Falls, Ont., finished the tournament with a four-under 209 and tied for 45th. The 18-year-old was coming off a third-place tie last week in Ann Arbor, Mich.
Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., was the top Canadian at seven-under 206 and tied for 14th. Maude-Aimée Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., tied for 31st while Quebec City's Anne-Catherine Tanguay tied for 55th.