Brandt Snedeker outlasted Luke Donald in a three hole playoff to win the Heritage at Harbour Town in Hilton Head, SC. Donald had a chance to take the #1 world ranking with a win, but instead is ranked third in the world. Snedeker fired a 64 to get to -12 under and play the waiting game. Donald made a sand save on 18 to par and force a playoff.
PGATour.com: Snedeker wins Heritage
The duo went back to 18 for the first playoff hole both canning impressive birdie putts. On 17, Donald made another sand save for par to force a third playoff hole back on 18. With Snedeker safely on the green, Donald found himself in the sand for a second straight hole. A two putt par put Snedeker in the driver's seat. Donald needed to hole out from the fringe to force a fourth playoff hole. Donald chipped and lipped it out to fall short.
WPDE Sports Director Rich Chrampanis spent the day at Hilton Head and offers his impressions:
Two Gloves Comes Close
Tommy Gainey did South Carolina and Bishopville proud with a rallying effort. Gainey had a 15 footer for birdie on 18 to get to -12 and what would have been a three way playoff, but he blasted it past the hole. Gainey finished alone in third and picked up a check for over $350,000. He told me it was a thrill to have home course advantage with the crowd pushing him to a 68.
Another Grand Strander on Tour
Dustin Johnson skipped the Heritage to play in Korea, but there was an Horry County tie on the course. Michael Maness, a 1999 graudate of Aynor High and a former Gamecock golfer has been on the bag for Bill Haas since 2009. Maness was a great junior golfer and said that being on the bag is the next best thing to making it on the tour. Haas shot -4 for the event highlighted by an eagle on 15.
The Future of the Heritage
I was able to talk to two key figures about the future of this tournament. Tournament director Steve Wilmot used the words cautious optimism when it comes to getting a title sponsor. South Carolina governor Nikki Haley was even more confident when I spoke with her on the 18th green. She was confident that the tournament will be back in 2012. The bottom line is that without a title sponsor it will be unlikely that the Heritage will make the 2012 PGA Tour schedule. Watch NewsChannel 15 at 6 on Monday to hear from both Wilmot and Haley about the future of this event.
