Sebastian Munoz makes clutch birdie on 72nd hole, wins Sanderson Farms in playoff

Sebastian Munoz had a one-stroke lead in the Sanderson Farms after 54 holes, but Carlos Ortiz was just one back, Byeong Hun An two off the pace and Sungjae Im within striking distance. Here’s how everything went down at the Country Club of Jackson on Sunday in Jackson, Miss.

Who won: Sebastian Munoz (two-under 70, 18 under overall, won on first playoff hole)

How it happened: Munoz was clinging to his lead all day, but a couple of groups in front of him last year’s PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, Im, was surging. Munoz led by one through 14, but just as he lipped out for par and made bogey on 15, Im made his third straight birdie on the 16th hole and took a one-shot lead at 18 under. Im made pars on 17 and 18 to shoot 66 and grab the clubhouse lead, and then he had to wait and see if Munoz, playing the last two holes, could catch him. Munoz two-putted for par on 17 from 41 feet, but he stuck his approach from 164 yards to inside 15 feet on 18 and drained it to shoot 70 and tie Im to force the playoff. After both players missed the fairway and green on the first playoff hole (the par-4 18th), Munoz got up and down for par while Im couldn’t.

Why it matters: It’s the 26-year-old Munoz’s first win in 47 PGA Tour starts. His previous best finish on Tour was a T3 at the 2017 Greenbrier.

Best shot when it mattered: Munoz, from 14 feet, 7 inches, to stay alive on the 72nd hole and force a playoff.

Worst shot when it mattered: Both players missed the fairway on the first playoff hole, and Im had a flyer lie and, most likely, lots of adrenaline pumping. He airmailed the green and had to take a drop when his ball was nestled up against the grandstand, and he failed to get up and down from there, allowing Munoz to win with a par.

Best streak that ended: The Sanderson Farms was the PGA Tour’s first playoff in 39 events and the first since the 2018 RSM Classic when Charles Howell III beat Patrick Rodgers.

Up next: The Tour heads to Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa, Calif., for the Safeway Open. Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Francesco Molinari and Adam Scott headline the field.