Watch: Champions Tour contender blows lead after putting nightmare

The 17th green at Warwick Hills is one Paul Goydos will be keen to forget.

Despite holding a one-stroke lead on the penultimate hole of the Ally Challenge, the American ended his chances from just three feet.

The 59-year-old’s advantage became a two-shot deficit when he took five putts to convert on the Champions Tour.

Four of those were from kick-in range, as Goydos carded a gut-wrenching triple bogey at the worst possible time.

Tour veteran Vijay Singh claimed the winner’s medal in Michigan, but the shock was not how he won, rather how Goydos didn’t.

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Looking for his first senior win in six years, the five-time winner was in a strong position after finding the green with his tee shot.

And after knocking his birdie putt close from 18 feet, Goydos seemed in control.

That is when the nightmare ensued, though, as he eventually tidied up at the fourth attempt to fall two strokes behind Singh.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsTour/status/1695891389937017279

The Fijian golfer was in the group in front of Goydos, and was left perplexed to see his name at the top of the leaderboard following a four-under-par final round.

Singh said: “I was 14 (under), Jeff [Maggert] was 13 and no… no Goydos,” Singh said. “I was surprised what he did there.”

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Lanny Wadkins, one of the announcers on Golf Channel, said: “I was thinking all he had to do was tap this short one in and par 18 and it’s his. But not now.”

Goydos went on to par the final hole, and barring the horror show on the previous hole, would have claimed a sixth win on the Champions Tour.

His one-under-par closing effort was only enough for a tie of third place, to finish two shots behind Singh.

Goydos reacted to the incident on his Twitter account after the tournament by posting a link to a music video.

It was a song by American rock band Harvey Danger, called ‘Flagpole Sitta’…

Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta (Official Music Video) – YouTube https://t.co/dlPbh3GWmU

— Paul Goydos (@PaulGoydosPGA) August 27, 2023