American Harold Varner III made a fantastic eagle putt on the final hole to hold off left-handed Bubba Watson and claim a one-stroke victory at the Saudi International on Sunday.
Varner III created the dramatic scene at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club near Jeddah with a rare putt made from such a distance. A two-putt, which still would have been a difficult finish given how far Varner III was from the hole, would have forced a tie with Watson and a playoff.
Harold Varner III.
Instead, the putt sealed his first victory in over six years and just his second professional victory.
“It’s been pretty crazy since it happened. I’m just trying to take it in. Winning just never gets old. I just know that there’s been times where it just didn’t go my way and today it did,” Varner III said.
Varner III took home a $1 million check as tournament winner.
“(The eagle putt) was awesome. Obviously that it went in kind of helped. When I was coming down the hill, I for sure – worst case scenario, we’ll go to a playoff and I’d get him there. And then it went in, and emotions came out.”
The putt. The reaction. 🔥#SaudiIntlGolf #SeeItAll pic.twitter.com/5q9HfLZO1T
— Saudi International | السعودية الدولية (@SaudiIntlGolf) February 6, 2022
In a show of sportsmanship and class, Watson was seen racing down from the Royal Greens clubhouse and running to celebrate with Varner III, even though the made putt sealed Watson’s defeat.
“I made the eagle (on the 18th), and I looked up and saw I had a two-shot lead. Then I thought I had a great chance, but obviously he pulled out a shot better than me to win. So it was a crazy back nine and a fun back nine,” Watson said.
The 31 year-old Akron, Ohio native is one of just a handful of African-American PGA Tour golfers.
THAT 92ft winning putt 🤯 @HV3_Golf#SaudiIntlGolf #SeeItAll pic.twitter.com/e5ZYgK5rox
— Saudi International | السعودية الدولية (@SaudiIntlGolf) February 6, 2022
