Worldwide Golf

ENGLAND’S Brian Davis called a two-shot penalty on himself during the first hole of a sudden death play-off which effectively handed Jim Furyk his second PGA Tour victory in the space of a month at the Verizon Heritage.

Furyk, who missed the cut at the Masters last week, was drawn into a play-off when Davis birdied the final hole with a superb raking putt. However, after Davis knocked his approach shot to the 18th on to the beach he splashed out but notice he knocked a piece of reed during his backswing. To his credit he called over rules official Slugger White who confirmed the penalty before Furyk stepped up to two-putt for par and take the title.

“To have the tournament come down that way is definitely not the way I want to win,” said Furyk, who shot a final round 2-under-par 69. “It’s obviously a tough loss for him, and I respect and admire what he did. To be there and be in the battle and have an opportunity to win, and then have to call a penalty on yourself has got to be extremely disappointing but it’s a testament to our game and the people that play on the Tour, and that we have so many guys that do that.”

Davis, who began the day one shot behind Furyk and shot a 3-under 68 to match his total on 13-under-par, was disappointed he couldn’t close out the victory after dropping shots on holes 15 and 16 and then missing a birdie putt on 17.

“I’ve got to learn from that and make a couple of putts on the back nine, that’s what makes a champion,” said Davis, who now has four second-placed finishes in his last four years on the PGA Tour.  “It then came down to 18th and I hit an unbelievable second shot and obviously I made the putt. It was great getting into the play-off, but it was a disappointment not to win.”