Shith Theegala captures Sahalee Players

Sahith Theegala of Chino Hills, Calif. birdied the first playoff hole to win the 23rd Sahalee Players Championship (SPC), outlasting Min Woo Lee of Australia.

The elite amateur championship was held at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash.

After 72 holes, the two players were tied at 3-under par, and went back to play the par-5 18th hole again. Theegala hit his second shot to the back edge of the green, hole high. Lee flared his second shot into the trees on the right, and after a free drop from an embedded lie punched a remarkable 150-yard shot through the trees to 45 feet from the hole. Lee then two-putted for par, and Theegala dropped a 5-footer for birdie and the win.

Theegala started the final round with a five-shot lead, but the day quickly became a game of survival. The scoring average for the final round was 77.27.