World No 294 lets victory slip in agonising fashion
JJ Spaun triumphs by two shots at Wentworth
We will come to JJ Spaun and Jeremy Clarkson later. Only those without an ounce of compassion in their body could feel no sympathy for Manuel Elvira. The Spaniard, without a professional win to his name, stood on the 18th fairway at Wentworth’s West Course with one of golf’s stories in his grasp. Having just eagled the 71st hole and found the short grass on the friendly par five, the 30-year-old who began tournament week as the world’s 294th ranked player knew a birdie would seal the PGA Championship title. A par would force Spaun into a playoff.
What happened next was a form of sporting torture rather than the realisation of a fairytale. Elvira pulled his layup into a bunker, flew the green, fluffed a chip into another sand trap and missed a bogey putt from 4ft. He did well not to burst into tears. The 18th meant Elvira finished in a four-way tie for second place. Even Spaun, a winner on his Wentworth debut, had to be bashful at the manner of success.
“It is devastating that I hit the wrong shot on the layup and left myself the toughest shot in the fairway bunker,” Elvira said. “I wasn’t able to pull it off. I have played some of the best golf probably of my life.”
Beware the jilted golfer. Spaun arrived in England carrying a grudge at being overlooked for next weekend’s Presidents Cup where the US will take on an international team at Medinah. His omission was even before this victory. Rory McIlroy, during post-tournament media duties, had assumed Spaun was part of Brandt Snedeker’s team. Americans have now won three of the last six editions of the DP World Tour’s flagship event.
“I played with a huge chip on my shoulder,” said Spaun. “I definitely had something to prove this week but everything happens for a reason.” Spaun was already a champion. This win means it is seriously difficult to believe Spaun will be ignored again when the US take on Europe in Ireland at next year’s Ryder Cup. His game can travel.
Spaun and his family have become regular visitors to the Cotswolds after developing a fondness for the television show Clarkson’s Farm. To add to a wacky closing scene in Surrey, Spaun’s wife was waving a Clarkson mask around as the champion was confirmed. “I’ve kind of blossomed into this player I never thought I could be,” Spaun said. “To take my game across the world – more specifically here in England, a place that’s dear to my family’s heart – the stars kind of aligned for me to come out on top.”
Spaun’s fourth round of 67 included four birdies in the final five holes. Seventeen under par proved sufficient to take the trophy by two strokes. Those alongside Elvira were McIlroy, Aaron Rai and Adam Scott.
McIlroy’s weekend involved missed opportunity. One realises how special a talent the Masters champion is when reaching 15 under par despite missing chance upon chance. McIlroy’s 68 included four birdie misses from 10ft or closer. His irritation at what might have been can be partly offset by the making up of decent ground on Patrick Reed in the DP World Tour’s order of merit race. Reed versus McIlroy promises to be the spectacle between now and mid November.
“I feel like my game is heading in the right direction,” said McIlroy, who is in the midst of technical changes. “When I look at my swing on video, I still don’t like what I am seeing. It is going to take time. Golf isn’t just about the swing, you also have to chip and putt. My swing is not where I want it to be.” Still, McIlroy produced the shot of the day with an iron from trees at the 12th which hooked 80 yards before resting just short of the green.
Joost Luiten, Matt Fitzpatrick, Ryan Fox and Filippo Celli completed the top nine. This was, however, a story dominated by one man. And not, given the circumstances, the one who came out on top.