ENFIELD, N.S. – Something special was bound to happen with seven players within two strokes of the lead entering Thursday’s final round of the PGA Assistants’ Championship of Canada at Oakfield Golf & Country Club.
That moment came from Ashburn Golf Club professional Josh Landine, who chipped in on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Yohann Benson, sending the gallery into a roar.
“The chip came out exactly how I wanted it to,” said Landine, who carded rounds of 68-69-70 on the week. “It looked like it might hang on the lip, but it had just enough to drop.”
Both Landine and Benson held the lead at different points in the afternoon. Benson made three straight birdies from Nos. 4 to 6 to open a three-shot advantage, while Landine responded with birdies at 8, 9, 11 and 12 to pull ahead by two.
A double bogey on the par-3 13th brought Landine back into a tie with Benson, with Wes Heffernan and James Swan close behind. Bogeys at 17 for Heffernan and Swan left the final hole to the two leaders.
Benson rolled a 40-foot putt to tap-in range, setting the stage for Landine’s must-make chip from 20 feet. He delivered.
Earlier in the round, Landine cracked the sole of his driver. While he was able to use it during regulation, rules required him to replace it in the playoff.
“Oddly, I was calm going in,” said Landine, whose wife was on the bag. “We joke that she’s undefeated in playoffs. That gave me some confidence.”
In the playoff, Landine hit his approach to 15 feet while Benson, playing from a tough downslope in the rough, saw his shot bounce over the green. Unable to get up-and-down, Benson watched as Landine two-putted for the victory.
“It was a crazy day,” said Landine with a laugh.
Heffernan finished third, while Maxwell Cohen fired a final-round 65 – the tournament’s low score – to tie for fourth with Swan, Khan Lee and Mitchell Fox.
Full leaderboard
