Memphis: Harris English won the St. Jude Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, birdieing two of the final three holes to hold off Phil Mickelson and Scott Stallings by two strokes. The 23-year-old American, in his second year on tour, survived a final round where he had six birdies and five bogeys to shoot a 1-under 69. He finished at 12-under 268. "I was just really relaxed out there today," English said. "Bogeyed eight and nine, which was tough. But I knew if I kept it together on the back nine, I could make a run at the thing."
English made a 5-feet birdie putt on No. 16 to tie Stallings for the lead, but Stallings bogeyed No. 18 to give English the lead to himself. English made a 17-feet birdie putt on No. 17, and two-putted No. 18 to pick up the winner's cheque of $1,026,000. English became the fourth player to win the event in his first start since the tournament moved to TPC Southwind in 1989, and the second straight after Dustin Johnson a year ago.
Mickelson shot a 67 and Stallings had a 68. Mickelson birdied Nos. 13 and 16, but he just missed a 13-footer for birdie on the par-4 17th. He then went right at the hole on No. 18 from 151 yards and just missed, leaving a 2-feet birdie putt to finish in a share of second at 10 under.
The four-time major winner said he got most of what he wanted out of the tournament as he tuned up for next week's US Open at Merion Golf Club following a three-week break. "I'm really encouraged with the way I hit my irons," Mickelson said. "Got to get the 3-wood in play a little bit more, although next week at Merion distance won't be as critical as TPC Southwind. I'll be able to hit higher and softer shots."
English won the Southern Amateur in 2011 and was an amateur when he won on the Web.com Tour at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational in July 2011. He moved to the PGA Tour in 2012 and finished 79th on the money list. Now he has his fourth top-10 finish this year.
He said caddie Brian Smith helped him refocus as he made the turn. "I really didn't think I'd be in this seat right here coming off 9," English said. "I thought I kind of made some really dumb bogeys on eight, nine and kind of shot myself out of the tournament. But Smitty was saying, 'Hey let's go beat this back nine. Let's get back under par for the tournament for the day, and let's get after it'."
It looked as if Stallings, a two-time tour winner, would add his third win in three years when he took advantage of English's bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 to go up by three strokes. Stallings was 12 under at the turn with four birdies on the front side. But he finished with a double bogey, a birdie and a bogey in his final four holes.
"You have to learn from the experiences that you have like this today and hopefully I'll get a little bit better break next time," Stallings said.
Shawn Stefani, a 31-year-old rookie who went into the final round with a one-stroke lead, had a 76 to drop into a share of seventh at 6 under.
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