Blades Brown clinched victory in sudden death at the PGA Tour’s World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico by birdieing the par-5 18th hole, after Ben James missed a six-foot putt for birdie on Sunday. The playoff ended after a tense back-and-forth on the final hole at El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas.
James, 23, from Milford, Connecticut, forced the playoff with an eagle on the 18th hole in regulation play. His 20-foot putt for eagle came after a 289-yard second shot with a 3-wood landed on the green. He said afterward, “Had a feeling that it was going to go in. Hadn’t really made anything all day. Just had a really good line on it and it was a good putt. Played the best I could.”
The sudden death started with both players missing eagle putts on the par-5 18th but making birdies to extend the playoff. On the second attempt, both came up short with their second shots again. James chipped first and left his ball six feet from the hole. Brown then birdied the hole, ending the contest.
Brown, who turned professional at 17 and began the season on the Korn Ferry Tour before moving up to the PGA Tour, was on the driving range when James holed the eagle putt to tie. “Making an eagle on this final hole is no easy task,” Brown told The Golf Channel. “I was hitting balls and saw he made it and I was ‘Alright, playoff, let’s go.’ I’ve known Ben since we were amateur golfers and he’s just such an unbelievable player. He’s lights out with the putter. I got him this time but I’m sure we are going to be battling out years to come.”
James came into the final round with a four-shot lead but struggled early, describing his front nine as “really poor.” He mentioned a three-putt after driving the green on the 10th. Despite the rocky start, he fought back and shared the lead several times on the back nine but stood two strokes behind Brown by the 16th tee. He missed birdie putts on holes 16 and 17, leaving the hope of an eagle on the last hole.
“Definitely a lot of emotions,” James said after the round. “It was a long day. I fought really, really hard. Really poor start, poor front nine. Drove the green on 10, three-putted. I couldn’t really get anything going.”
This was James’ fifth top-10 finish since joining the PGA Tour in June, thanks to being No. 1 in the tour’s University standings. He has missed the cut in only one event since turning professional. His performance at the World Wide Technology Championship moved him up to 53rd in the fall FedExCup standings, putting him within reach of the top 60 players who qualify for the first two Signature Events in 2027. James has tour privileges through next year; a win at this event would have secured eligibility through 2028.
Brown, meanwhile, has steadily climbed since skipping college golf and turning pro as a teenager. His ability to hold his nerve under pressure on Sunday earned him his first PGA Tour win. The tournament’s dramatic finish drew attention to the young players emerging on the tour and the growing rivalry between Brown and James, who have known each other since their amateur days.
The final round on November 8 at El Cardonal at Diamante provided memorable moments, especially the dramatic eagle that pushed the contest into sudden death and the playoff itself that ended with Brown’s decisive birdie. Both players demonstrated resilience and skill under pressure, but it was Brown who ultimately held his nerve to claim the title.
According to Yahoo Sports.
