Sam Burns is again a winner in the Valspar Championship, this time with a lot more stress and a lot more emotions.
Burns shot a birdie putt of just over 30 feet on the 16th hole to beat Davis Riley on the second playoff hole, giving him three PGA Tour victories in his last 22 starts.
Burns, who closed with two under 69s, is the second straight back-to-back winner in Innisbrook after Paul Casey’s consecutive victories in 2018 and 2019. The tournament was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The victory moves Burns to number 10 in the world for the first time, beating Dustin Johnson out of the top 10 for the first time in seven years.
“Man, it’s crazy,” Burns said. “Davis played well today, especially as he finished. I tried to stay consistent. I did not make many mistakes. Lots of time on Sunday when you plan your way around, do a bunch of pars, throw some birds, a lot Sometimes it works well. So happy. “
Burns won last year with three shots.
Riley, a rookie who is fighting for the first time on the PGA Tour, has a triple bogey on the par-fifth hole with a five-iron clutch for Birdie on the par-three 17. He had a 15-foot birdie Putt on the 18th for the win and left it to the right, finishing with a 72.
Both made par on the 18th in the playoffs, with Riley saving the par from a front bunker. Neither looked in a big birdie position on the 16th until Burns’ putt caught the left edge and went 180 degrees around the cup before falling to the back.
Riley hit a strong pitch that needed to hold on to extend the playoffs and missed long.
Justin Thomas (70) and Matthew NeSmith (71) each completed one shot from the playoffs, and each had a share of the lead at some point during a tense final round in warm, windy conditions on the Copperhead course.
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