Green Misses His Chance, and Lyle Wins in a Playoff

Sandy Lyle won it in a playoff, but the Greater Greensboro Open probably was decided on the last hole of regulation play.

There, Ken Green had a two-foot second putt to win it outright and gain a spot in next week’s Masters.

“I thought I was doomed,” said Lyle, who had watched his chip for a birdie hit the back of the cup and bounce out on what appeared to be the last hole of play.

“I’d given up hope, really. I didn’t fancy him missing that putt,” Lyle said.

But he did.

“I pulled it,” Green said. “I just hit it to the right. That’s all I can tell you.”

The three-putt bogey dropped Green into a tie with Lyle after 72 holes, and Sandy won the title with a 10-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole.

The victory was Lyle’s second on the PGA Tour this season and made him the first Scot in history to lead the American money-winning list.

Lyle’s fourth American victory in three seasons was worth $180,000 from the total purse of $1 million and gave him a leading $408,021 for the season.

The burly Scot won the Phoenix Open earlier this season and joined Steve Pate as the only two-time winner of the season.

Lyle, three shots clear of the field when the day’s play started, was one shot back when he and Green went to the last hole of regulation play.

Lyle’s approach ran through the green to the rough behind the putting surface. Green put his second shot some 20-25 feet from the pin.

Green’s first putt came up about 2 feet short. Lyle, apparently needing to hole his chip to have a chance, hit the cup and the ball bounced out.

But Green missed the little putt that would have won it, and the playoff was on.

Both drove the fairway on the extra hole, but Green pulled his approach left of the left bunker. Lyle played to about 10 feet. Green chipped over the bunker to about three feet, but Lyle dropped his putt for the winner.

Lyle matched par 72 over the last round, finishing with a 271 total, 17 under par on the Forest Oaks Country Club course.

Green was five shots back starting the round and still trailed by four at the turn. But he made up four shots on the next four holes, went in front alone with a 27-foot birdie putt on the 17th, then let it get away on the 18th.

He finished with a 67.