For the third consecutive year, the Sanderson Farms Championship at the Country Club of Jackson was decided in a playoff. This time, on the first hole of the tiebreaker, Taiwanese golfer Kevin Yu (-23), aged 26, claimed his first victory on the PGA Tour by defeating American Beau Hossler (-23) with a great birdie on the replay of the 18th hole of the course, a challenging par four with all the danger lurking on the left side.
The golfer, who trained at the University of Arizona and resides in Scottsdale, with several successes in Asia as an amateur, gained access to the Korn Ferry Tour thanks to the PGA University program. There, he paved his way to the PGA Tour, where until today, in two seasons, he had made 26 cuts in 55 tournaments, with eight top 10 finishes, including two third places and three top 5s. This year he had tied for third at the American Express, tied for fourth at Myrtle Beach, and tied for sixth at the Farmers. Now, when practically no one expected it, he surprises with a sensational Sunday to be crowned champion at the Sanderson, secure a spot in next year’s Masters, and ensure two more seasons on the tour.
Birdie to force a playoff.
Birdie to win in a playoff.@KevinGolfYu came up clutch for his winning moment @Sanderson_Champ 👏 pic.twitter.com/lzU697WGDl— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 6, 2024
While all eyes were on the fierce battle that Beau Hossler and Keith Mitchell (-22) were having for the lead, both Yu, with a stunning round of 67 strokes capped off with a fantastic birdie on the 18th, and Lucas Glover (-22), for whom three birdies and an eagle in his last six holes were not enough to get into the playoff, gradually climbed the leaderboard to put pressure on the members of Sunday’s star group. Even so, the Taiwanese had to wait on the practice field for luck to be on his side…
Mitchell, who had saved a very tricky situation on the 16th with a spectacular wedge to make par after his tee shot ended up off the fairway (like most today, with only six fairways hit out of 14), reached the 18th with a one-shot lead and everything in his favour to win, or at least secure the playoff, thanks to a sensational drive that left him a short approach shot. But in a matter of minutes, the tournament took a 180-degree turn.
Hossler, who tried by all means to convince two referees to allow him relief after sending his ball from the tee to the left side, behind a tree, had to settle for getting back to the fairway and leaving a shot behind. But at that key moment, Mitchell came up short with his approach, and Beau launched a dart that forced his playing partner to make a drastic decision. A coin toss that ended up going against him.
Keith Mitchell will have to wait for win No. 2.
He bogeys the last to finish T3 @Sanderson_Champ. pic.twitter.com/fugxToxILg
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 6, 2024
The Californian, with his great shot, had practically secured the par that would get him into the playoff, where Yu was waiting. As long as Mitchell didn’t make a birdie to close the tournament and achieve, more than five and a half years later, his second victory on the circuit. The player from Chattanooga took a gamble by going for the three with a firm putt, but the line wasn’t good, and he left himself a return putt that he ended up missing. A terrible three-putt that left him out of the fight for victory, which Hossler and Yu entered.
The story repeated itself for the Californian from the tee, this time sending his ball to a heavily trodden rough area after bouncing on a paved path. Surprisingly, because the grandstand and scoreboard for which he had asked for relief earlier, which was not granted, were not in play this time, the referees did allow him to drop without penalty. But it did him little good because he sent his second shot into the green bunker just after the Taiwanese, who had again played from the right off the tee to the fairway, launched another great shot to leave himself a birdie putt of just over a metre and a half.
A dart when he needed it most 🎯@KevinGolfYu has a good look at birdie on the first playoff hole. pic.twitter.com/0glyWvNhDb
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 6, 2024
Hossler’s recovery from the sand was wonderful, but he had no chance of making par because Kevin Yu, unstoppable, closed with a birdie to celebrate a victory in style. A triumph that will see him climb to 60th place in the FedEx standings in this autumn calendar, ready to fight for a spot in the designated tournaments of a 2025 that will mark his debut at the Masters of Augusta. Hossler will have to keep searching for a first victory that eludes him while he rises to 68th place in the overall standings, a consolation prize.
