Last year, Frank Nobilo rallied from five shots back to defeat Brad Faxon on the first extra hole, played in a virtual monsoon with temperatures hovering around 50 degrees. 7,062-yard Forest Oaks Country Club course, with the sun shining and temperatures in the 80s. But a tricky wind gusting to 25 mph frustrated player after player down the stretch. He almost holed his approach shot and birdied one the course's toughest holes for the fourth straight day to move one behind leader Bob Estes at the time. Estes, one of the game's best putters, led by two shots after birdies at Nos.
Golf is a game of fractions of inches.
With Dodds on the practice range keeping loose, Verplank put his approach shot within 30 feet on No. 18 and then made the dramatic putt to force the playoff, finishing with a 72. Verplank was first off the 18th tee, but his drive found the deep right rough while Dodds split the fairway and had a 150-yard approach shot to a hole he had huge success on this week. I just played an errant shot off the tee. Verplank was only able to move his approach shot within 60 yards of the green and he would two-putt for a bogey. Dodds, who had missed six of 10 cuts entering this week's tournament, including four of his last five, started the day 9 under and three shots behind co-leaders Estes, Verplank and Skip Kendall.