O’Hair wins playoff to claim Canadian open

Sean O’Hair beat fellow American Kris Blanks in a sudden death playoff to capture the Canadian Open on Sunday while Adam Hadwin’s stirring bid to become the first home-grown winner in 57 years fell short. O’Hair bogeyed the first playoff hole then watched as Blanks missed his bogey putt from five feet for a chance to extend the playoff as he recorded his fourth career PGA Tour win and first since 2009. O’Hair, who started the day three shots behind overnight leader Bo Van Pelt, clawed his way into contention with a two-under-par 68 while Blanks, the first-round leader, shot 69 to force a playoff after rolling in a 10-foot par putt on 18. Blanks and O’Hair, who had been without a top 10 finish this season, both finished the regulation 72 holes at four-under-par 276. Argentine Andres Romero, who rallied on the back nine with five birdies, had looked poised to make it a three-way playoff until a bogey at the last left him one shot out after an even-par 70. “Obviously it has been a tough year,” O’Hair told reporters. “When I played the Pro Am, this is a very intimidating golf course, I played horrific. “Wednesday night was probably the lowest point of my year. “I just didn’t know how I was going to play this week and to be sitting here now is amazing.” The playoff capped a dramatic afternoon at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, much of it centred around Hadwin, a 23-year-old unknown who started the day just one shot off the lead and in position to become the first Canadian since Pat Fletcher in 1954 to win the national championship. Playing in the final group alongside overnight leader Van Pelt and Romero, there was no mistaking who the large gallery was backing, Hadwin greeted by a thundering roar and calls of “You can do it Adam” as he appeared on the first tee. Teeing it up in just his third PGA Tour event, Hadwin had been a cool customer all week but finally seemed overwhelmed by the enormity of the moment carding a bogey on the opening hole, another at the fourth and a double-bogey at the eighth. Just when all seemed lost, Hadwin launched a back nine challenge that electrified the galleries with three straight birdies from the 12th to rocket back into contention just one off the lead with four holes to play. But Hadwin’s rally stalled and he finished with a 72 and a tie for fourth with Australian Geoff Ogilvy (70) on 278. “Being in the final group and playing for an entire country was pretty exciting,” said Hadwin, who earns his living on the Canadian Tour. “I wish I had been able to start off a little better but I brought it back and I had a chance. “I played some great golf and in the end I only fell two shots short. I belong out there.” The final round saw some familiar names make big moves. South African Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, four-over  after his opening six holes, hit back with six birdies for a 69 to join 19-year-old American amateur sensation Patrick Cantlay (69), Spencer Levin (69) and fan favourite John Daly (72) in a tie for ninth on even-par 280. “It’s been a struggle,” said Daly, after his first top 10 in six years. “I know I was kind of out of it there with four or five holes to go but I made one heck of a par on 15, 17 and 18.” World number one Luke Donald, unable to break par the first three rounds, flirted with the course record of 64 on the final day getting to five-under after 14 holes. But the Briton stumbled at the finish with bogeys on two of his final three holes to settle for 67 and tie for 17th.