Nick Taylor by no means regarded extra clutch than when he birdied the 18th gap thrice within the WM Phoenix Open, first to drive a playoff and the final to win it.
And then he went 23 begins over 11 months with no prime 10.
Who can overlook that 70-foot eagle putt to win the Canadian Open earlier than a delirious dwelling crowd? During the subsequent seven months and 12 tournaments, he had just one prime 10.
The tradeoff for the 36-year-old Canadian are the trophies — one in every of the final three years and 5 general.
The newest got here Sunday when he least anticipated it. Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C., chipped in from 60 toes for eagle on the final gap, made a 10-foot birdie putt o keep within the recreation and received it with a wonderfully clipped wedge to only inside three toes for birdie to beat Nico Echavarria in a playoff.
WATCH | Nick Taylor wins Sony Open in playoff:
After forcing a playoff with a chip-in eagle on the 18th gap, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., defeated Nico Echavarria of Colombia to say the Sony Open in Honolulu, Hawaii for his fifth profession PGA Tour victory.
And no, he would not commerce them.
“I really love the trophies,” Taylor mentioned. “But I would also love to be more consistent.”
He performs follow rounds usually with one other Canadian, Corey Conners, and their historical past oddly runs deep. Conners performed with him within the weekday rounds when Taylor received in Canada and Hawaii, and Taylor performed with Conners the opening two rounds when Conners received in Texas.
Conners has been a better mannequin of consistency, with just one win since 2020.
“I’ve played with Corey a lot in practice rounds and tournaments. He’s somebody I aspire to be with his consistency. He’s phenomenal,” Taylor mentioned. “That being said, I really enjoy being in moments and being able to close the deal and to win tournaments is ultimately what we’re trying to do. Again, yeah, consistency. I would love to get there to his level.”
WATCH | Nick Taylor’s unimaginable putt to win Canadian Open in 2023:
Taylor nailed the longest putt of his profession to clinch the event on the fourth playoff gap.
Last yr was significantly discouraging as a result of a lot was at stake — battling for a spot within the Olympics, and the Presidents Cup being held at Royal Montreal with Canadian Mike Weir because the International captain.
Taylor regarded like a shoo-in when he received the Phoenix Open, solely to enter a funk — just one end within the prime 20 (tie for twelfth at Bay Hill), missed cuts in all 4 majors and a disappointing cellphone name when Weir left him off the group.
He additionally failed to complete within the prime 50 within the FedEx Cup, which might have assured Taylor performed in all of the $20 million US signature occasions.
“Not making top 50 I knew would make the next year just not where I wanted to be. Not making the Presidents Cup definitely hurt,” Taylor mentioned. “I had more myself to blame. I felt like I put Mike in a tough situation. On top of that, I had to play more in the fall than I had originally planned and be away from family a few times.”
Taylor put in some work within the quick low season, and was keen to start out a West Coast that featured a few of his favorite programs and three signature occasions not less than staying (barely) within the prime 60 within the FedEx Cup.
Now he can financial institution on a return to the Masters and a spot in all of the signature occasions.
“To have this good of a start is awesome,” he mentioned.
So was the end.
Taylor was two pictures behind when he missed four-foot birdie putts on the fifteenth and sixteenth holes and figured that was his final likelihood.
But then he chipped in for eagle, the leaders behind him — Stephan Jaeger and J.J. Spaun — every dropped a shot and didn’t birdie the 18th. That left Taylor and Echavarria, a promising 30-year-old Colombian who has been on a tear lately.
Echavarria, who had some clutch moments of his personal on the closing 4 holes, had the higher hand within the playoff till Taylor made a contact pitch up a steep slope and made a 10-foot birdie. Echavarria once more had the benefit on the second playoff gap, 40 toes away on the perimeter, whereas Taylor was again within the fairway 46 yards away.
The pitch was excellent by Taylor. The putt by Echavarria got here off tender, stopped seven toes away and he missed the birdie putt.
Taylor’s final three PGA Tour victories have been all in a playoff — 4 further holes in Canada, two in Phoenix, two in Hawaii.
“I think I enjoy being in those moments. For whatever reason my mind gets clear in those situations of the shot I’m just trying to hit,” he mentioned. “I’ve worked on that the last couple years, why in those situation am I good and the other situations where I’m not consistent if I’m in 30th or something. We’ll work on that. But nice start to the year, obviously.”