Brian Campbell won the Mexico Open on Sunday (Image: Getty)
Golf star Brian Campbell enjoyed a huge slice of luck to win his first PGA title on Sunday. The American edged a play-off to lift the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld.
Highly-rated South African Aldrich Potgieter held a one-stroke lead heading into the final round. It set up a tense high-stakes round as both players sought their first PGA Tour title.
Potgieter finished with an even-par round as Campbell struck a one-under 70. Both players missed birdie chances, which set up a sudden-death play-off over the par-five 18th hole.
Nerves had possibly got to Campbell as his wayward drive towards the green drifted wide and towards a group of trees. However, it then struck a tree trunk and bounced advantageously back into play.
Stunned by the huge stroke of luck, Potgieter’s shot found the bunker just short of the green and missed his chance to hit a birdie. Meanwhile, Campbell stepped up to putt home an easy attempt to win his first title.
The 31-year-old could not believe his good fortune, with the ball striking the tree and aiding his chance of hitting a birdie to edge past Potgieter. He pointed out that sometimes it takes luck to come through pressurised situations.
“Oh my gosh, that bounce,” Campbell said. “I mean? I’ll take it. Got ourselves back in position and gave ourselves a chance and it paid off. To be in this position is so unreal.”
He later told Sky Sports: “You’ve got to get those breaks sometimes. Unfortunately, I hit a really bad tee shot there, caught the tree, was able to keep it in play and get ourselves in a good position to get a wedge and keep the pressure on.
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— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR)
Brian Campbell enjoyed a huge stroke of luck (Image: Getty)
“I was just so happy that I was able to kind of stay in it to the end.”
Potgieter, the 2022 British amateur champion aged only 17, hinted that he had fallen under the pressure of the sudden-death play-off. The 20-year-old said: “Hopefully, my time will come soon.
“Pressure is a big thing. You can’t beat it. You just have to learn and adjust to it the next time.”
Isaiah Salinda hit a final round of six-under to finish third behind Campbell and Potgieter. England’s Aaron Rai was tied for fifth place with American Ben Griffin at five-under.