After 71 holes, the Truist Championship had come down to the final green as Shane Lowry tried to make up a one-stroke deficit to Sepp Straka.
Both players hit remarkable second shots from left of the fairway on the 517-yard par-4 18th at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. But the chaser, Lowry, had the advantage, leaving his approach 21 feet above the hole, while Straka was outside of 30 feet and had to navigate a knob in the front left of the green.
After Straka ran his first putt almost four feet by, Lowry was suddenly in the driver’s seat. The CBS broadcasters mused that he could potentially win the tournament outright by making the birdie putt and Straka missing his par attempt.
But that’s when Lowry did the unexpected.
As soon as he hit the putt, Lowry’s hand came off the putter as he motioned for the ball to slow down. The ball raced more than six feet by and then he pushed the par effort, making a shocking bogey and giving Straka two putts to win the tournament. He needed only one as Straka buried the par putt and won the Truist Championship by two shots at 16 under.
Before Straka even made it official, Lowry had his hat in his hands and grimaced, knowing he had given away even a chance at a playoff. He ended up finishing two shots back of Straka after a final round 70. He regained his composure to offer a congratulatory hug to Straka and then headed to scoring before leaving the course.
Lowry and Straka were dueling all afternoon after starting the day tied for the lead and three clear of anyone else. The two were separated by more than a shot on just one shot.
They were tied coming to the par-3 16th, but Lowry short-sided his approach left and couldn’t get up and down. Both players missed it left on the par-4 18th and Straka flagged his approach as his 4-iron from the left fairway bunker rolled out past the front pin.
Lowry missed it farther left into the grandstand and received TIO relief. From there, he played a beautiful 6-iron from the rough to 21 feet, which would have set up the potential equalizing putt. But it wasn’t to be.
It’s Straka’s fourth career PGA Tour win and second this season after he won the American Express back in January.
