Former Arkansas golfer David Lingmerth finished tied for second at The Players Championship on Sunday at TPC-Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Lingmerth entered the final round in a three-way tie with Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia at 11-under par before shooting an even-par 72 to finish two shots behind Woods. Lingmerth, 25, was playing in his 13th PGA event and was trying to become the first rookie to win The Players Championship.
Lingmerth had a two-shot lead after Saturday’s play, which was delayed because of weather after Lingmerth made a birdie on the famed island green 17th hole.
Lingmerth bogeyed the 18th early Sunday to finish his third round. Lingmerth trailed Woods after bogeys on the 8th and 10th holes before making three birdies down the stretch to pull to within one.
Lingmerth hit his tee shot to within eight feet on the 17th but missed the putt that would have tied him with Woods. Lingmerth, needing a birdie on the difficult 18th to force a playoff, made bogey after being aggressive on a 61-foot birdie putt.
Lingmerth earned $709,333 for his finish. If he had made par on the 18th and thus finished in second alone, he would have earned a little more than $1 million.
It is the second time Lingmerth has finished second in a PGA event. He lost a playoff to Brian Gay in the Humana Challenge in January in California.
Lingmerth, a native of Sweden, played at Arkansas from 2007-2010 before turning professional.
