Golf: Webb Simpson ends drought, beats Tony Finau in Phoenix Open playoff

Feb. 3 (UPI) -- Golfer Webb Simpson edged Tony Finau on the first hole of a playoff to win the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open.

"It feels great. I has been a year and a half since the [winning in at] The Players Championship," Simpson told reporters, reminding them of his last tournament win in 2018.

Simpson and Finau were tied at 17 under par to force the extra hole Sunday at the TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course in Scottsdale, Ariz. Simpson birdied the final two holes of the fourth round to force the playoff.

Simpson smacked his tee shot into the fairway on the 437-yard, par-4 18th hole, after Finau sliced his tee shot into a bunker to start the playoff. Simpson lofted his second shot onto the green.

Finau then stepped up and hit an impressive shot out of the sand and onto the green, rolling the ball close to the hole. He then rolled his 18-foot birdie attempt just to the left of the target. He made his next shot to make par on the hole.

Simpson then stepped onto the green before draining his 17-foot birdie attempt, winning the tournament.

FedEx Cup leader and world No. 4 Justin Thomas tied for third place with Bubba Watson and Nate Lashley at 14 under par. No. 3 Jon Rahm tied for ninth.

Finau didn't make the cut in his previous four appearances at the Phoenix Open. He fired a one-under par 70 in the final round after carding a 10-under par 62 in the third round. Simpson was nine-under par in the second round and eight-under par in the third round. He carded a three-under par 69 in Sunday's final round.

"He got the upper hand this time," Finau said of Simpson. "But I love that guy, and that's one hell of a finish. If you're going to birdie 18 a couple of times, you're probably going to win."