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JT Poston was near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday’s final round of the 3M Open in Minnesota. Unfortunately, disaster struck on the 18th hole which resulted in his missing out on $260,000 in winnings.
Entering that last play, the PGA Tour player held sole possession of second place, three shots up from the next closest competitor. He was also three strokes back of leader Lee Hodges.
The two teed off on 18 as they looked to close out the tournament. Hodges sliced his drive left and into the rough, giving Poston a chance to gain ground. In hopes of taking a share of first place, Poston decided to play aggressively.
It’s a game of inches.@JT_ThePostman‘s drive 𝙗𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙮 evades the water on No. 18 @3MOpen. pic.twitter.com/pUiN4pslEV
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 30, 2023
His tee shot sailed right, landing just outside a water hazard more than 200 yards from the cup.
Rather than play it safe, Poston opted to go for the green. That decision would be costly. His second shot went low, ricocheting off a rock at the other end of the pond and into the water.
Just inches from getting out to safety, though it would’ve provided a tough eagle attempt even had it reached the bank.
J.T. Poston needed eagle on the 72nd hole for a chance to win.
His aggressive approach hit a rock and found the water.
A triple bogey cost him $260,000.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 31, 2023
With his chance at first place now out of reach, he’d drop from his original spot and play the hole out less zealously. A second-place finish and potential $850,000 purse was still possible.
Things would go from bad to worse soon, however.
His fifth shot landed 30 feet from the hole, giving him a chance to two-putt and still hold onto sole control of his second-place position. A bogey putt got him within five feet. Disaster averted, right?
Wrong. His double bogey putt missed leading to a tap-in for a triple. Losing three strokes, he finished in a three-way tie for second. That result cut more than a quarter-million off his winnings.
JT Poston offers Herm Edwards type response to his 3M Open critics.
While many ridiculed the golfer for his seemingly impossible approach to that final hole, Poston says he wouldn’t change a thing. He channeled his inner Herm Edwards in his response on social media.
You play to win the game.
Not out here to finish 2nd. Trying to win. Would make that decision 10 times out of 10 under circumstances https://t.co/GHsIErHCil
— J.T. Poston (@JT_ThePostman) July 30, 2023
“Not out here to finish 2nd,” Poston said. “Trying to win. Would make that decision 10 times out of 10 under circumstances.”
Many commended the competitive spirit though others called his actions foolish.
Earlier in the tournament, he said he’d planned to play as if he had nothing to lose.
Unfortunately in this instance, he did would lose a nice chunk of change.
Despite the subpar finish, JT Poston closed the 3M Open with a score of -17. The runner-up result was his best of the ’22-’23 season.