Verplank captures Byron Nelson title by one shot

By Andrew Both PA SportsTicker Golf Writer

IRVING, Texas (Ticker) Scott Verplank won Lord Byron’s tournament with an assist from above.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that the stars lined up and I got a little help from upstairs,” Verplank said after clinching a one-stroke victory over Luke Donald at the $6.3 million EDS Byron Nelson Championship on Sunday.

“On the last hole, I walked off the tee and felt a cool breeze, and it wasn’t cool out there,” he added.

Born in Dallas, Verplank was 17 when he first met Nelson. His only regret is that the golfing great, who died seven months ago at 94, was not present to witness the win.

It was nonetheless a sweet moment for the 42-year-old, who rated his fifth PGA Tour victory by far the biggest of his career.

But Verplank, making his 21st appearance in the event, had to sweat to the very end, dodging a bullet when Donald missed a 10-foot birdie putt at the last hole before somehow keeping his hands steady enough to sink his winning putt from just outside two feet.

“I’ve never been that lightheaded and nervous and shaky over a putt in my life,” he said. “I was really calm until I passed out of that two-footer. It was an out-of-body experience.

“The only thing that made it hard was it was to win and the greens were bumpy. I hit it hard enough and it went in, and then I looked up and said, ‘Thank you.’”

Verplank should also have thanked Donald, who led by three shots after six holes of the final round in ideal conditions at the Four Seasons TPC.

But Verplank charged to the front with five birdies in a sizzling eight-hole stretch and had some help from Donald, who double-bogeyed the par-4 ninth to cough up the lead at the turn.

Verplank never surrendered the lead thereafter, although Donald fought back, cutting the margin to one shot with a nice birdie at the par-5 16th.

But Verplank preserved his lead with a stellar par at the par-3 17th, where he landed a near-perfect long bunker shot, splashing his ball to inside two feet before both players parred the last hole.

Verplank carded a 4-under-par 66 to finish at 13-under 267, collecting $1.134 million - the biggest prize of his long career.

Donald, who took a one-shot lead into the final round, carded 68 for second at 12-under 268, with Phil Mickelson, Jerry Kelly, Ian Poulter and Rory Sabbatini two shots further back in a tie for third.

Poulter was the only player apart from fellow Englishman Donald to get to 11-under but missed golden birdie chances at Nos. 15 and 16, before bogeying the 17th.

“Of course, I’m not happy,” Poulter said. “Why should I be happy? I came out to win, not to finish third. I played pretty nicely today and I had a chance.”

Mickelson flirted with contention, getting to 10-under after 13 holes. But he never really looked like a winner.

Verplank may never win again. If he doesn’t, he will look back at this week as the pinnacle of a good career.

“I’ve been playing OK, but my shoulder has been hurting,” said Verplank, who could not believe it had been 25 years since he received a phone call from Nelson.

“He called and said, ‘I’ve been noticing your scores in the newspaper and the high school tournaments.’ God, he was one of the finest gentlemen I’ve ever met. This is bigger than just notching up another win on the PGA Tour. Winning this tournament, it’s a childhood dream.”