Abraham Ancer has become the fourth Mexican player to win on the PGA Tour after he defeated American Sam Burns and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama in a play-off in the WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational in Memphis.
Ancer birdied the second play-off hole and joined fellow countrymen Carlos Ortiz, Victor Regalado and Cesar Sanudo on the PGA Tour’s winners’ list.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy carded a 66 for the third day in-a-row to finish on 10-under par and in a tie for 12th. It could have been even better as the Holywood golfer was out in 30, but he only managed one birdie on the back nine.
Shane Lowry finished in a tie for 23rd on six-under par with three dropped shots on the 11th and 12th scuppering his chances of a top 10 finish.
Ortiz's maiden win at the Houston Open last November saw him hold off the challenge of Matsuyama while Burns was the third-round leader, and that was the pair that caused Ancer the most bother.
While Ancer played steady golf on his 18 holes, finishing two-under par for the day and 16-under par for the tournament, Matsuyama and Burns produced excellent final rounds to force their way into the play-off.
Burns finished with a 64 that included eight birdies but was soured somewhat by a double bogey at the par-four 13th.
Matsuyama, however, didn’t drop a shot all day and seven birdies secured a wonderful 63 – but neither player could match Ancer’s birdie on the second play-off hole.
American Harris English, who had led for the majority of the tournament, had a disappointing final day as a 73 saw him finish on 15-under par.
