Playoff Drama - David Lingmerth Wins 2015 Memorial Tournament over Justin Rose

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• published: 08 Jun 2015
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Dramatic playoff - David Lingmerth wins 2015 Memorial Tournament over Justin Rose DUBLIN, Ohio – David Lingmerth, a stocky former hockey player from Sweden who owes his golf career to a Cleveland Brown, beat Justin Rose in a three-hole playoff to win the 2015 Memorial Tournament on Sunday at blustery Muirfield Village Golf Club. Lingmerth sank a six-foot par putt on the third playoff to beat Rose, who missed his fourth shot. There was little sign of nerves during the playoff from Lingmerth, ranked 212th in the world. After sinking the putt, he appeared more relieved than jubilant, but he did have a big smile. Lingmerth earned his first career PGA Tour victory, as well as $1.1 million and a three-year tour exemption. He will play in a U.S. Open qualifier Monday. Lingmerth, from Sweden by way of the University of Arkansas, got his first set of golf clubs from his uncle, Goran Lingmerth, a placekicker for the Browns during the 1987 players strike. Goran Lingmerth, a Ping representative, was not at the tournament. David Lingmerth, 27, missed four of his previous five cuts and was the second-round leader. He and Rose shot 15-under par 273 in regulation, five shots off the tournament record. Lingmerth was three shots behind with seven to play. He closed with a 3-under 69 to catch Rose, who began Sunday with a 3-shot lead and had a final-round 72. Rose, from England, collected $669,000. Rose's first career win also was at the Memorial, in 2010. Playoff drama: The playoff was the longest in tournament history, and second in two years. Hideki Matsuyama beat Kevin Na last year. On the third playoff hole, Rose missed the fairway right on his tee shot at 10, and his approach sailed over the green. His chip was too strong, leaving him with a 22-foot for par, which he missed. Lingmerth reached the green in two and two-putted from 47 feet. When he sank the winning putt, there was little celebration, but a big smile. The first two playoff holes were at 18. Both players missed the first green and had chips from opposite sides. Lingmerth blasted a wedge shot that was true, but too strong. It zipped over the hole, skipping off the pin and stopping 10 feet away. Rose curled a 19-foot putt that hooked almost around to the back of the cup before dropping for par. Lingmerth dropped his 10-foot par putt to continue the playoff. The second playoff had less drama, with both players making short par putts. Fan struck by Rose shot: Rose nearly lost the tournament on the 72nd hole when his approach shot out of a fairway bunker struck a fan in the head. The male fan, who was seated, grabbed his head and rolled over, but later appeared OK. Rose shook the fan's head and the fan smiled as they exchanged a laugh. The ball ricocheted toward the fairway, but was in deep rough 55 yards from the elevated pin. Rose's stunning wedge shot rolled about two feet wide of the cup and stopped almost two feet above. He turned and pointed with his club to the fan and smiled, then made the par putt to force a playoff. Earlier, Lingmerth had a 12-foot birdie putt at 18 that missed on the right edge. Rose wild finish: Rose, the 2010 Memorial winner, had an eventful back nine with birdies at 11 and 13, then went bogey (14), birdie (15), bogey (16), birdie (17). Rose blasted a 373-yard tee shot at the par-4 No. 17 and birdied to pull into the tie at 15-under with Lingmerth, who was a group ahead. Rose has seven tour victories, including the 2013 U.S. Open and this year's Zurich Classic of New Orleans. "Just one too many bogeys today,'' Rose said. Francesco fades: Italy's Francesco Molinari was in a three-way tie with Rose and Lingmerth on the 16th tee. Moments after his caddie told him, "Keep it dry,'' Molinari shorted his drive into a pond and three-putted for a double-bogey 5 on the par-3. Rose, meanwhile, pushed a long birdie putt 10 feet past the pin at 16. He missed the comebacker and had a bogey, giving Lingmerth the temporary lead. Spieth's charge: Reigning Masters champion Jordan Spieth tied Molinari for third. Spieth made a strong run at the lead with a 7-under 65 and was in the clubhouse more than two hours before Rose, Molinari and Lingmeth battled their way down the back nine. Key hole: A key hole was No. 14, which ruined several golfers' runs this week. The pin was on a thin section of a skinny green jutting into a pond, and Rose landed in the left bunker. He chipped out and two-putted for bogey while Molinari curved in a 17-foot birdie putt. The two-shot swing put Molinari in front of Rose and Lingmerth by a stroke at 15-under. Champ drops: Defending champ Hideki Matsuyama made a run at the leaders at about the same time with birdies at 13, 14 and 15 to reach 13-under. But his tee shot on the 201-yard par-3 at 16. He three-putted for a double-bogey and fell to 11-under. Rose chipped from the fringe to set up a birdie at the par-5 No. 15, which he made to regain a three-way tie for the lead with Lingmerth