Brice Garnett shot a bogey-free 69 on Sunday at the Puerto Rico Open to reach 19-under and enter a playoff. He holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the fourth extra hole to win his second PGA Tour title.
“We just, we stuck to our game plan. I was right there around 300 yards to the front of the green every playoff hole and that’s just too far for me to try to push a 3-wood up there. So I just continued to lay up to a really good wedge number. I hit some really good wedges in there.
“And then the fourth hole is the exact same putt I had on the first playoff hole, so I knew exactly what the putt did and I just had to hit it a little bit harder the second go-round.”
Garnett had previously won at the 2018 Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic but fell outside the top-150 last year and had lost full PGA Tour status.
With this win he becomes fully exempt through the 2026 season and earns a spot into this week’s Players as well as the 2024 PGA Championship, 2024 Charles Schwab Challenge and The Sentry in 2025.
“Just an outstanding week from the time I got here. I was excited to be here, I was thankful to be here. I wasn’t sure when my next PGA Tour start was going to come and I was kind of gearing up for this one. I think I told you earlier in the week, this is my Augusta. It didn’t get me in Augusta. I guess maybe I should put in for a special exemption, but it is a wonderful week for me that opens all kinds of new doors for a 40-year-old Tour vet.”
Eric Barnes shot a bogey-free 68 to enter the playoff but missed a 12-foot birdie putt for the win at the first extra hole and another at the fourth to finish second.
France’s Victor Perez, the only non-American in the top-5, closed with a 65 for a share of third place at 18-under alongside Hayden Springer (68) and Jimmy Stanger (70).
Overnight leader Ben Kohles failed to make a birdie until the 15th and could have joined the playoff at the 18th but three-putted from 35 feet for bogey and closedwith a 73 to finish tied for sixth at 17-under.
