If winning never grows old, finishing second must get pretty tiresome.
On Sunday in Japan, Max Greyserman was trying to sort out exactly how it felt.
“I could take this a few different ways,” he said. “Another second (place) would be one thought, disappointed would be another thought. But also on the flip side I could say I played really well.”
He did.
Going head-to-head with eventual winner Xander Schauffele in the final round of the Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club, Greyserman shot a 6-under 65 and came within inches of jarring his 187-yard approach on the 18th hole — a shot that would have put him into a playoff and given him a crack at his first Tour victory.
Instead, his tap-in birdie left him one shot off the lead. It was Greyserman’s fifth career runner-up finish and his second consecutive in the event. At last year’s Baycurrent, Nico Echavarria birdied two of his last three holes to edge Greyserman by a stroke. This time around, Schauffele birdied three of his final five to deny Greyserman a chance at glory.
“Kind of more of the same,” Greyersman said. “Feel like I executed. I did well. Just didn’t play good enough.”
On the plus side, Greyserman said, each one of his close calls has put him more at ease with being in contention.
“I think whether it’s positive or negative, I feel like just continuing the Sundays near the lead, those are invaluable rounds, because what you feel Thursday, Friday and then what you feel Saturday, Sunday but not near the lead is very different than how your body feels near the lead.”
He likened the sensation to the elevated heart rate and adrenaline rush that comes from going on a run.
“It feels very different than just hanging out with your buddies hitting a few shots,” Greyserman said.
On Sunday, there was no ignoring the jitters. But it helped that Greyserman had been there before.
“I felt good today, felt calm,” he said. “Obviously, you have nerves. I’m sure Xander had some nerves at times, highs, lows. But it felt good to experience that.”
It will feel even better when he takes the next step, which seems only like a matter of time.
“Just more of the same, playing well, doing things well and just need to just get one more extra gear on Sunday,” Greyserman said. “That’s what I’m missing.”
