Taylor Pendrith Gets 1st PGA Tour Victory Thanks To Brutal Ben Kohles Choke Job

Published|Updated

Golf can be an extremely fickle and frustrating game, as all weekend warriors will attest. Ben Kohles, a 34-year-old with no career PGA Tour victories, had a golden opportunity to change his life Sunday at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. 

Instead, it was Taylor Pendrith who saw his life change in the span of about 10 minutes. Pendrith, like Kohles, had never won a PGA Tour event. This was the 74th tournament for the 32-year-old. 

Pendrith led the CJ Cup Byron Nelson after Saturday and had the lead with just three holes left to play. That's when Kohles hit some of the best shots of his career, making birdie on both 16 and 17 to wrestle the lead from Pendrith. 

The two men headed to the par-5 18th hole with Kohles leading Pendrith by one shot. That was great news for Kohles, who made birdie on the 18th hole in each of his first three rounds of the tournament. A birdie on 18 would have forced Pendrith to make eagle to tie. 

But Kohles didn't make a birdie. He hit his second shot just to the right of the green, in between two bunkers. That still gave him a chance to get up-and-down for birdie, but he flubbed his chip shot at the worst possible time. 

He managed to get his fourth shot within five feet of the hole, which gave him a nice look at par. With Pendrith in close for birdie, Kohles just needed to make a 5-footer to send the tournament to a playoff. 

But, he missed. At the worst possible time. 

Taylor Pendrith stepped up, made his 3-foot putt for birdie, and captured the CJ Cup Byron Nelson for his first career victory. 

It's not just prize money for these guys, especially those who have never won a PGA Tour event. Pendrith now has access to many more tournaments and earned an invitation to both The Masters and the PGA Championship. 

Taylor Pendrith won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday, the first of his PGA Tour career, after Ben Kohles made a brutal bogey on the 72nd hole.

Taylor Pendrith won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday, the first of his PGA Tour career, after Ben Kohles made a brutal bogey on the 72nd hole.

(Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

For Kohles, a guy who hasn't had much success on the PGA Tour in his career, a runner-up finish is still good. It was the best finish of his career. But winning the tournament would have been legitimately life-changing. 

Perhaps those thoughts ran through his head on the 18th hole. He was the only player who made bogey on the 18th hole the entire day. And, it cost him dearly. 

Golf is hard. 

Tags
Written by
Dan began his sports media career at ESPN, where he survived for nearly a decade. Once the Stockholm Syndrome cleared, he made his way to Outkick. He is secure enough in his masculinity to admit he is a cat-enthusiast with three cats, one of which is named “Brady” because his wife wishes she were married to Tom instead of him.