Pegged by the PGA Tour as “Clutch”, Canadian golfer Nick Taylor staged a remarkable comeback at the Waste Management Open, rallying from a three-stroke deficit with four holes to go. Nick is a highlight reel man and he secured victory on the second playoff hole against Charley Hoffman, sinking an impressive 11-foot birdie. Some might argue this was almost as sweet as the 72-foot putt for eagle he made at the par-5 18th hole to defeat Tommy Fleetwood, securing the Canadian native’s third win of his PGA TOUR career. It took four playoff holes to secure that win in 2023.
The crowd celebrated with the singing of “O Canada” after Taylor’s triumph, highlighting the significance of his win. In a playoff against Hoffman at TPC Scottsdale, Taylor clinched the victory with a birdie on the second extra hole, joining George Knudson as one of the Canadian winners of the event.
Nick Taylor Isn’t Just Clutch, He’s Starting To Make Real Money
This win marks Taylor’s fourth PGA Tour victory, and he now shares the accomplishment with golfers Al Balding and Stephen Ames. His consistency in earnings, totaling $16.5 million across 260 PGA Tour events, reflects a steady and successful career.
Taylor’s ability to maintain performance in a volatile professional golf landscape is commendable, with earnings ranging as low as $830,000 to $900,000 in four different years, to winning big tournaments like this and taking home $1.584 million for a single event. Taylor’s sustained success becomes an aspirational benchmark in the competitive world of professional golf.
Taylor’s victory at the WM Phoenix Open recalls a similar achievement by Ian Leggatt 22 years ago when the Canadian won the Tucson Open on the same day the men’s hockey team ended a 50-year Olympic gold-medal drought. Apparently, Canadians like to try and steal the show from a major event.
Despite coinciding with the Super Bowl, Taylor’s achievement deserves attention as it marks a historic moment in Canadian golf.
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