ZACH ATTACK: Zach Johnson hoists the John Deere Classic trophy after defeating Troy Matteson on the second playoff hole. (AP)
Zach Johnson won the John Deere Classic on the second playoff hole yesterday, hitting his second shot to a foot for a birdie to beat Troy Matteson in Silvis, Ill.
After Johnson and Matteson double-bogeyed the 18th on their first playoff hole, Johnson hit a 193-yard second shot from a bunker to 12 inches from the cup, again on the 18th. Matteson needed to sink a 43-footer to match Johnson’s birdie, but didn’t get the putt to the hole.
It was Johnson’s second win of the season and ninth of his career.
Johnson birdied three of the last six holes in regulation, taking the lead until Matteson sank a 60-foot eagle putt on the par-5 17th. Johnson shot a bogey-free 6-under 65 to finish at 20-under 264. Matteson shot a 69.
Scott Piercy finished third, two strokes back after a 65.
* Jeev Milkha Singh beat Francesco Molinari in a playoff yesterday to win the Scottish Open in Inverness, Scotland, and secure a late berth in next week’s British Open.
A final-round meltdown by local hope Marc Warren left Singh and Molinari tied at 17-under 271. The 40-year-old Indian won by draining a 15-foot putt for birdie on No. 18.
Singh, the son of an Olympic 400-meter runner, shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 to tie for the lowest round of the day. Warren and overnight leader Molinari (72) dropped shots down a tough closing stretch into the wind.
By winning his first title in over four years, Singh not only will climb back into the top 100 but will play at the British Open — staged at Royal Lytham & St. Annes starting Thursday — for the only the second time in his 19-year professional career.
A fierce westerly wind and heavy rain at times proved too much for top-ranked Luke Donald (73) and Phil Mickelson (74), who both finished tied for 16th at 12 under.
* Roger Chapman has joined impressive company.
The Englishman shot a 4-under 66 to win the U.S. Senior Open by two strokes at 10 under in Lake Orion, Mich.
Chapman, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Hale Irwin are the only players to win the U.S. Senior Open and Senior PGA Championship in the same year.
Before this year, Chapman’s career highlight was a European Tour win in Brazil in 2000.
Bernhard Langer (72), Fred Funk (67), Tom Lehman (68) and Corey Pavin (68) finished tied for second at 8-under 272 at the Champions Tour’s fourth of five majors.
Langer took a four-shot lead into the final round and closed with a 2-over-par round.