Cabo San Lucas:Teenage sensation Blades Brown made history as the youngest PGA Tour winner since 1931, securing a playoff victory at the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico with a remarkable nine-under par 63 on Sunday.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the 19-year-old Tennessean, who bypassed college to turn professional straight out of high school, began the final day seven strokes behind the leader, tied for ninth place. His impressive round included 10 birdies, culminating in a six-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to lead at 23-under par.
Overnight leader Ben James, trailing by two strokes, needed an eagle on the par-five 18th to force a playoff. He succeeded with a 20-foot putt, leading to a sudden-death playoff. Both competitors reached the green in two shots, but after missing his putt, James fell short as Brown clinched victory with a successful putt.
Brown, who had a lengthy wait for the playoff, remarked on the challenges of playoff holes and expressed admiration for James, highlighting their past as amateur golfers. Brown's victory at 19 years and five months old surpasses the record previously held by Jordan Spieth as the youngest PGA Tour winner in modern times.
Michael Kim finished third at 22-under par, followed by Japan's Kensei Hirata and David Ford. Brown's career began with a missed cut on his pro debut at 17 but has since flourished, including a notable 12-under par 60 at La Quinta and a third-place finish at the Puerto Rico Open.
Brown's achievement of earning a PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour at a record young age marks a significant milestone in his burgeoning career.