Getty Image / Minas Panagiotakis
Everyone who has ever played golf has dreamt of making a long putt to win a tournament like the Masters or one of the other top tournaments. And, Canadian Nick Taylor did just that when he drained an improbable putt on the fourth playoff hole to beat Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open.
A Canadian had not won their national championship in 69 years, with the last winner being Pat Fletcher in 1954. But, the country has arguably the best crop of players it has ever produced, with guys like Adam Hadwin, McKenzie Hughes, and Corey Conners alongside Taylor. And, he finally broke through.
It wasn’t easy, though. In fact, it took four extra holes in a playoff against Tommy Fleetwood, who also finished at -18 in regulation, for Nick Taylor to win. It was on that 4th playoff hole, the par-5 18th, that the magic happened.
Taylor elected to go for the green in two, and landed his ball on the front of an incredibly deep green, while Fleetwood laid up short. Fleetwood chipped on for a good look at birdie, and with Nick Taylor’s ball being 72 feet away and having to climb a considerable slope with a big left-to-right break, it seemed likely that there would be a fifth playoff hole.
Instead, this happened.
WALK-OFF WINNER FROM 72 FEET! 🏆@NTaylorGolf59 wins @RBCCanadianOpen with the longest putt of his career! 🦅 pic.twitter.com/lJtiIM43vN
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 11, 2023
Listen to the call on PGA Tour Radio.
“THE DROUGHT IS OVER!!”
An incredible angle and @SiriusXMPGATOUR call of @NTaylorGolf59's unbelievable winning putt @RBCCanadianOpen. pic.twitter.com/4XjLpHPELb
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 12, 2023
Heck of a call. And, the crowd was going wild.
@ntaylorgolf59 taking in the moment as the crowd serenades him with O Canada, as he gets ready to speak to @Amanda_Balionis #RBCCanadianOpen pic.twitter.com/busJUTTyLM
— Crier Media (@thecriermedia) June 12, 2023
The putt was the longest one that he has made in his PGA Tour Career. It gives Nick Taylor his third win on the PGA Tour, an automatic exemption to the Masters next year, and will likely get him into the top 50 for the first time.