Varner pulls off thriller in PIF Saudi International golf tiff

MANILA, Philippines – All he had wanted was to putt to within birdie distance from outside the green and go into a playoff with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson. But Harold Varner III got more than what he had wished for — an eagle, a Saudi International crown and a princely purse of $1 million.

“Awesome. Still — it’s been pretty crazy since it happened,” said Varner, minutes after draining in the mind-blowing putt from around 90 feet on the closing par-5 hole of the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, capping a birdie-eagle finish for a 69 and edging his fellow American by one with a 13-under 267 total.

He virtually froze at sundown after stroking that putt from way out, holding his breath as the ball tracked and cleared the hump at near center, gathered some speed as it veered to the left in near-perfect pace before dropping into the cup.

Shocked, Varner dropped his putter, squat-jumped twice and took his flabbergasted caddie into his arms.

It was an unexpected but refreshing sight to a bizarre ending where in the last stretch Varner had looked like to be a lost cause after a double bogey on No. 14 and a bogey on the 16th and Watson had seemed to have wrapped the crown with a 268 aggregate three flights ahead after putting in his own version of a birdie-eagle finish for a 64.

But a birdie on No. 17 put Varner back into the thick of things and after a good drive on No. 18, he wittingly pulled a mid-iron shot that landed right in front of the green instead of opting for a more aggressive approach with a utility club.

For him, a safe birdie would be enough to force a playoff against the 12-time PGA Tour winner and keep his bid for a first win since scoring a breakthrough in the Australian PGA Championship in 2016.

But no sudden death took place. What transpired was Varner, who co-led midway through and seized solo control after 54 holes, basking in glory with his grandstand finish in the event kicking off the new Asian Tour season and marking the linkup of the region's premier circuit with Saudi golf.

“Winning just never gets old. I just know that there’s been times where it just didn’t go my way and today (Sunday) it did,” said the 31-year-old. “I’m super thrilled not just for myself but everyone that’s either on my team or in my corner.”

Truly, no one saw it coming. Not even Watson, who rushed from the scorer's hut not to the 18th box but to the green to congratulate Varner.

“I’m not mad at him for beating me. He’s a dear friend and I’m happy for him” said Watson, who took home $525,000.

Spain’s Adri Arnaus, who shared the lead with Varner after three rounds, fumbled with a 71 and wound up third at 270 while former Philippine Open champion Steve Lewton of England fired a 67 and tied for fourth at 271 with Aussie Cameron Smith, who carded a 69.

American Matthew Wolff and Pablo Larrazabal of Spain shared sixth place at 272 after a 67 and 68, respectively, while two-time champion and world No. 5 Dustin Johnson matched par 70 and wound up tied for eighth at 273 with Abraham Ancer and Jhonattan Vegas, who shot identical 66s, Joaquin Niemann, who shot a 68, Ryosuke Kinoshita, who carded a 70, and Tommy Fleetwood, who stumbled with a 73.

Johnson, who led a slew of PGA Tour and DP World Tour stars who reportedly received significant appearance fees for committing to the event backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, put himself back in the title hunt with a birdie on No. 1 for an eight-under overall output, just four strokes off Varner.

But he flubbed a downhill two-footer putt for par on No. 3 and was never the same again. He did birdie the next but made two bogeys to close out his frontside stint then birdied the 10th but fumbled with two more bogeys before holing out with a birdie-birdie finish that however paled in comparison with Varner's spectacular windup.