For the second time in less than a year, Nick Taylor needed extra holes to secure a victory on the PGA Tour.
In June, it was a historic win at the Canadian Open over Tommy Fleetwood, which Taylor capped off with a 72-foot winning putt that sent the entire country into a frenzy.
On Sunday, he rode a red-hot putter to another playoff win in his second home, as the Scotsdale resident defeated Charley Hoffman to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
He didn’t need a 72-foot putt to win this time, but Taylor did roll in an 11-foot birdie look on the second playoff hole to claim the trophy and his fourth career PGA win.
Nick Taylor sure knows how to celebrate a clutch putt 👏pic.twitter.com/QNe1Jg3UAl
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) February 12, 2024
“The finish was pretty dreamlike,” he said. “Making all those putts when I needed to was a lot of fun, and the atmosphere has been incredible all week.”
Taylor’s putter wasn’t just hot on Sunday either, as he was impressive on the greens throughout the tournament and it started with an opening round 60.
But he was extra clutch with the flatstick when it mattered the most, knocking in birdie putts on five of his last six holes to force a playoff and come out victorious.
With the win, Taylor is now the highest-ranked Canadian golfer in the world, jumping from 55th to 28th in the Official World Golf Rankings and leapfrogging Corey Conners.
It puts him in great position to represent Canada at the Paris Olympics this summer, as well as earn a spot on the International Team under captain Mike Weir at the Presidents Cup in Montreal this September.
“Looking at goals for the season, what I've done so well I think the last year has been process goals,” said Taylor.. “But you want something to look forward to, and the Olympics and the Presidents Cup were big-time on the top of my goal list.”
Taylor will be back in action this week, as he’s set to play in the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
