Rocco Mediate beats Bob Estes in playoff to win Furyk & Friends
League: Golf 
Posted on: 06 Oct, 2024 at 10:09 PM
Credit: Raj Mehta-Imagn Images
Rocco Mediate saved par on the second playoff hole to put away Bob Estes and win the Constellation Furyk & Friends on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla.
After a back-and-forth final round, 72 holes weren't enough to separate Mediate and Estes, and they replayed the par-4 18th hole at Timuquana Country Club.
They both managed par the first time through, but Estes' tee shot on the second play-through found a fairway bunker, and his sand shot hit the rough. Mediate was on the green in two and two-putted for the triumphant par.
"It's been forever," Mediate said. "Been struggling a lot. Golf swing got better and better, and this week was good most of the time ... I can't believe it. I'm 1000 years old. I don't know what to tell you."
Mediate, 61, won his fifth title on the PGA Tour Champions and his first since 2019. He's now won professional tournaments in his 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
"I set out this year and I said I would like to win in my 60s," Mediate said. "I'll be darned."
Mediate and Estes began the day tied for the lead with a three-shot advantage on the field. They were tied through 11 holes before Mediate birdied Nos. 12 and 13 and Estes bogeyed No. 14.
The last four holes were even busier: Mediate bogeyed the par-5 15th while Estes went birdie-birdie at Nos. 15 and 16, erasing the three-stroke gap between them.
Mediate complimented Estes' "beautiful second shot," a 3-wood, at No. 15.
"Just a matter of time," Mediate said. "He's a wonderful player. Great guy. You know, he could have won obviously just as easily as I did."
Mediate rolled in a birdie putt at the par-3 17th but missed a 4-foot par putt at No. 18 to seal the win. Both players wrapped up 1-under-par 71s to finish tied at 12-under 204.
"I am still trying to figure some things out," Estes said. "I didn't play great this week but I managed the game well and putted fairly well for the most part.
"Yeah, still kind of trying to figure few things out. My game is not quite where it could be or feels like it should be, but obviously this was one of the better tournaments that I played, so maybe I'm making progress."
Australian Greg Chalmers shot a 4-under 68 to get to 10 under and finished alone in third place. South Africa's Retief Goosen fired a 5-under 67 to move to 9 under, ending the tournament tied for fourth with Scott McCarron (68), Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke (69), Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee (69), Jason Caron (70) and Tim Petrovic (70).
--Field Level Media
After a back-and-forth final round, 72 holes weren't enough to separate Mediate and Estes, and they replayed the par-4 18th hole at Timuquana Country Club.
They both managed par the first time through, but Estes' tee shot on the second play-through found a fairway bunker, and his sand shot hit the rough. Mediate was on the green in two and two-putted for the triumphant par.
"It's been forever," Mediate said. "Been struggling a lot. Golf swing got better and better, and this week was good most of the time ... I can't believe it. I'm 1000 years old. I don't know what to tell you."
Mediate, 61, won his fifth title on the PGA Tour Champions and his first since 2019. He's now won professional tournaments in his 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
"I set out this year and I said I would like to win in my 60s," Mediate said. "I'll be darned."
Mediate and Estes began the day tied for the lead with a three-shot advantage on the field. They were tied through 11 holes before Mediate birdied Nos. 12 and 13 and Estes bogeyed No. 14.
The last four holes were even busier: Mediate bogeyed the par-5 15th while Estes went birdie-birdie at Nos. 15 and 16, erasing the three-stroke gap between them.
Mediate complimented Estes' "beautiful second shot," a 3-wood, at No. 15.
"Just a matter of time," Mediate said. "He's a wonderful player. Great guy. You know, he could have won obviously just as easily as I did."
Mediate rolled in a birdie putt at the par-3 17th but missed a 4-foot par putt at No. 18 to seal the win. Both players wrapped up 1-under-par 71s to finish tied at 12-under 204.
"I am still trying to figure some things out," Estes said. "I didn't play great this week but I managed the game well and putted fairly well for the most part.
"Yeah, still kind of trying to figure few things out. My game is not quite where it could be or feels like it should be, but obviously this was one of the better tournaments that I played, so maybe I'm making progress."
Australian Greg Chalmers shot a 4-under 68 to get to 10 under and finished alone in third place. South Africa's Retief Goosen fired a 5-under 67 to move to 9 under, ending the tournament tied for fourth with Scott McCarron (68), Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke (69), Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee (69), Jason Caron (70) and Tim Petrovic (70).
--Field Level Media
