Playoff at Doral Turns Hoch’s Way in a Hurry

One clutch putt made Scott Hoch happy he chose to wait overnight to continue his playoff.

Monday, one day after he had riled a few thousand fans by refusing to attempt his nine-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole because of darkness, Hoch sank the putt and went on to defeat Jim Furyk on the third playoff hole for the Ford Championship title at Doral.

“This is very big to do this, and to do it how I did,” Hoch said. “Under these conditions early in the morning, to hit those shots, that felt great.”

Hoch had his reasons for waiting. Sunday evening, caddie Damon Green thought the putt moved a little to the right. Hoch, who has had five eye operations, thought it broke to the left.

“I don’t want to be standing over a putt that I’m unsure about, especially when I can’t see to make it,” Hoch said.

When he returned, Hoch studied the putt from three angles and realized Green was right.

Furyk’s birdie putt from six feet was good.

They went to the 18th hole, and Hoch was flawless. His drive split the middle of the fairway, and his nine-iron from 148 yards landed just beyond the flag and rolled 10 feet away. Furyk drove into the lakeside bunker -- he didn’t hit the fairway on any of the three playoff holes -- and he played out to 25 feet, missing the putt.

Hoch became the oldest player to win a PGA Tour event since Tom Watson was 48 when he won the Colonial five years ago. The $900,000 check he earned Monday moved him to seventh in career winnings.