Russell Henley captured the Charles Schwab Challenge in a playoff over Eric Cole for his sixth PGA TOUR victory that comes with the top prize of $1.78 million and 500 FedEx Cup points.
“I think the longer you play this game, the more you want more, you want more success and I feel like I’ve just worked harder and harder and I feel like I’ve been a little off just mentally this year, really,” Henley said. “Just feel like I just fought really hard through the end, so it just felt really good to see an awesome result.”
Henley entered the week at No. 12 in the golf rankings, and is projected to vault into the top 10 with his win at Colonial Country Club.
He began his day eagle-birdie on the first two holes, then proceeded to bogey the vaunted three hole stretch of 3-4-5 that is universally known as the Horrible Horseshoe.
Henley would bounce back with a 31 on the back nine that included three consecutive birdies to post 12-under and hold the clubhouse lead.
Cole, the overnight leader, would par his final seven holes to match Henley and force the playoff on No. 18.
While Henley’s drive landed safely down the right side of the fairway, Cole’s tee shot managed to escape trouble when it went through tree branches down the left side of the fairway and stopped safely in the short grass.
Henley’s approach landed inside five feet of the cup.
After Cole saved par, Henley drained the putt for his fourth straight birdie and the win.
“I was proud of the way I played and it’s disappointing but I still feel good and happy with the way I played,” Cole said.
Cole’s first PGA Tour win evaded him, but by virtue of the Aon 5, he is in The Memorial next week for his first Signature Event start of the year.
Defending champion Ben Griffin fired a final round 65 and came within mere inches of holing a 50-foot birdie on No. 18 that would have put him in the playoff.
“It was awesome to make a charge there especially on the front nine, kind of cooled off on the back, but nonetheless, it’s tough and I was proud of the way I finished,” Griffin said.
Griffin, who was attempting to be the first to win back-to-back at Colonial besides Ben Hogan, was joined by Alex Smalley and Mac Meissner at 11-under.
The logjammed leaderboard also featured major champions J.J. Spaun (-10), Gary Woodland (-10), Justin Thomas (-8) and Hideki Matsuyama (-8) all inside the top 13 at Colonial.
Notables in the field included Ludvig Aberg (T17), Max Homa (T22) and Brian Harman (T22).
