Daniel Berger Wins Colonial in Playoff

Daniel Berger closed with a birdie on No. 18 to post a 4-under 66, good enough to get into a playoff that he would eventually prevail over Collin Morikowa in the PGA Tour‘s return at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

“It was a hard-fought battle today, and I just kept telling myself, why not me today,” Berger said. “In the end, it was a great week, and I’ve been playing some great golf for the last couple months, so I’m just excited to be back in this position.”

Berger’s win at Colonial was his third on the PGA Tour, following back-to-back wins in 2016-17 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis. His final round 66 was his 28th consecutive round under par, the longest currently on the PGA Tour.

Berger will take home $1.35 million for the victory.

Morikowa lipped out a par putt from 3 feet on the 17th green, the first playoff hole, to give Berger the win. Earlier, Brger had watched from the clubhouse’s patio as Morikawa missed his birdie try at the end of regulation, to send them into the playoff.

Playing on the weekend is nothing new for Morikowa, who has made every cut as a PGA Tout pro, a streak now at 21 events, the longest streak since Tiger Woods’ 25 at the beginning of his career. While he came up short, he has positives to take from the week at Colonial.

“I thought my putting was really good. Really I hit two bad putts this week,” Morikowa said. “One came obviously on the playoff.”

Xander Schauffele was the leader coming into the final round and it was a heartbreaking “horseshoe” putt on the 17th hole that dropped him back to 14-under and eventually falling one stroke shy of the playoff.

“I’m playing really good golf, which is really exciting,” Schauffele said. “It does suck that I’m not in the playoff or contending to win after it’s all said and done, but I’m in a good spot moving forward.”

As for the rest of the star-studded leaderboard, it was a rather uneventful final round.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy bogeyed the first hole and never recovered en route to a front nine 41 and a final round 74. His tie for 32nd ends his streak of top five finishes at seven consecutive events.

Bryson DeChambeau finished one shot out of the playoff at 14-under.

2018 Colonial champion Justin Rose fired a final round 66 to finish at 14-under.

Justin Thomas, making his Colonial debut this weekend, posted a final round 71 to finish at 11-under.

2016 Colonial champion Jordan Spieth had a roller coaster round that included four birdies and five bogeys to end up in a tie for 10th.

After being in the lead the first two days, Harold Varner III closed with a 2-over 72 to finish in a tie for 19th.

World No. 3 Brooks Koepka fired a final round 69 to end up at 6-under in a tie for 32nd.

Next up on the PGA Tour is the RBC Heritage Classic at Hilton Head, S.C.