J.B. Holmes wins Houston Open in three-way playoff

J.B. Holmes congratulates his caddie after winning the Shell Houston Open at the Golf Club of Houston on the second hole of a playoff on Sunday in Humble, Texas.  Reuters/Humble, TexasLong-hitting J.B. Holmes completed a perfect Masters tune-up when he won the Houston Open in a three-way playoff on Sunday. Holmes came from six strokes behind in the final round with a sizzling eight-under-par 64 that included nine birdies in the first 12 holes at the Golf Club of Houston in Humble. Three hours after posting a 16-under 272 total, he made a tap-in par at the second extra hole, the par-four 18th, to outlast fellow American Johnson Wagner, who missed a five-foot par putt. Overnight leader Jordan Spieth was eliminated at the first extra hole. Holmes collected $1.188mn for his fourth PGA Tour victory. The 33-year-old had already qualified for the Masters, the first major of the year starting on Thursday. He has played the tournament once. “It was just a great day for me and it ended good too,” Holmes told reporters.  “I didn’t tee off expecting to win today. It’s a nice surprise. I started out with five birdies. After that I thought I had a chance.” Wagner, who played on a sponsor exemption, needed to win to punch his ticket to Augusta, and he gave himself a chance when he sank a 25-foot putt at the 72nd hole to join the playoff. “Birdieing 18 to even get into the playoff was pretty incredible,” he said. “I’m pretty bummed right now, but a lot of good stuff going on.” Spieth missed a chance to enter the Masters as the world number two, but remained the hottest player in the game, after finishing first, second and second in his past three starts.