(Reuters) – Robert Streb birdied the second playoff hole to beat Kevin Kisner and win the RSM Classic on Sunday in a battle of past champions at Georgia’s Sea Island Golf Club.
Streb, who claimed his only PGA Tour title at the RSM Classic in 2014, returned to the winner’s circle in spectacular style as his approach on 18 left him with a tap-in birdie for the victory as Kisner, the 2015 champion, settled for par.
On both occasions Streb needed extra holes to get the job done, having seen off Brendon de Jonge and Will Mackenzie in a playoff in 2014.
“Obviously it (the approach shot) came out perfect. I knew I was going to need a little fortune to get close and I got (close),” said Streb. “It is nice to get another one knocked off, Kis (Kisner) played a great round today.”
Streb began the final round with a three-shot lead but started with six pars as several players mounted charges behind him, including Kisner who had four birdies on his outward nine and three more after the turn for a bogey free seven-under 63.
After Streb took only his second bogey of the tournament at the par four 13th, the 33-year-old found himself in a tie atop the leaderboard and then quickly trailing by one after a Kisner birdie at 15.
With fellow American Kisner in the clubhouse on 19-under 263 and a one-shot lead, Streb rolled in a pressure packed 11-foot birdie putt at 17 to move into a tie and then parred the last with his two-under 68 good enough to force a playoff.
Cameron Tringale closed with a bogey-free eight-under 62 to finish one back at 18-under while Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger (63) and American Andrew Landry (64) finished two off the pace.
“Trying to run in front all day to me is sometimes a little hard because you’re not necessarily pedal to the metal,” said Streb. “Maybe I should have been, but just trying to kill the butterflies there the first couple of holes and get into it.”
(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)
