Northwestern Mutual World Challenge: Zach Johnson holes out, and wins in playoff

What a crazy finish at the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, CA!  Going into the final three holes of regulation play, Zach Johnson was down by one stroke to Tiger Woods, and came back to win in dramatic fashion.

On the par-5 sixteenth, Zach Johnson nearly holed out from the fairway for eagle, and made his short birdie putt to briefly tie Woods at 12-under par.  Woods answered Johnson with a tap-in birdie, and retained his one stroke lead heading into the final two holes.

On the par-3 seventeenth, Johnson nearly holed out for an ace after back spinning his ball past the hole. Johnson would make a birdie to Woods’ par, and the two were tied going into the final hole.

Johnson striped his drive down the middle on eighteen, and Tiger hit a terrible drive in the left rough. Woods made a crazy athletic swing from 190 yards, but failed to draw the ball, and ended up in the right greenside bunker.  Johnson had a simple approach that he flared into the water, and it seemed as though his back nine comeback was nearly over.  However, the man from Cedar Rapids, Iowa had other plans.

From the drop zone, Johnson holed out his wedge shot for par.  Before the hole out, the crowd at Sherwood Country Club was cheering for Tiger to get up-and-down to win.  After the hole out, the crowd went nuts for Johnson, and deservedly so.  Hole outs to win/tie are extremely rare in golf, and the crowd witnessed golf history.

In the midst of Johnson’s heroics, Tiger got up-and-down from the bunker, and the players headed back to the eighteenth tee for a sudden death playoff.

In the playoff, Johnson two-putted to secure a par, and Tiger lipped out his short putt on the high side. Johnson’s incredible comeback earned him a million dollar check, and mad respect from the golfing world.

Check out the unbelievable hole out that sent Johnson into a playoff with Woods, courtesy of @PGATOUR.

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