Cam Davis makes a 50-foot shot from a bunker to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic, his first PGA Tour win. (0:25).Cam Davis breaks the sand to win his first PGA Tour title (0,25).DETROIT -- Cam Davis shot a 50-foot sandshot on the 71st green of regulation. That propelled him into a playoff, where he defeated Troy Merritt (and Joaquin Niemann) to win the Rocket Mortgage Classic. This was his first PGA Tour win.Davis stated that the trophy was the sole reason he is sitting here, at a news conference. To be honest, I didn't even think of trying to hole it.Merritt missed a 6-foot putt on the fifth playoff hole, and Davis won.Davis missed the playoff hole win putts, but he kept his cool because he knew that good shots would set up the putts he missed.The 26-year old Australian man from Australia putted 6-foot and 18 foot putts high. A 25-foot putt was also low, while a 19-footer was high. Merritt won the playoff after he misread a break on a 12-foot hole. He settled for a par and then won.Davis stated, "I tried to think as much as possible and hit every shot for the value it had." It's not as simple as it sounds, but it can be difficult to do when there's such pressure. It was just a matter of keeping going."It was a mistake, but I kept putting it in play. It worked out fine."Cam Davis shot a 50-foot sandshot to make an eagle on 17, then birdied on 18 to reach the playoff at Detroit Golf Club. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images.Davis finished with a 5-under-67 to match Merritt's (68) and Niemann's (68) at Detroit Golf Club, 18-under 2270. Niemann was eliminated from the playoff after he made a bogey at the first hole. This was his first bogey for the week.Niemann said to reporters, "It's difficult to be standing there knowing that there is an ongoing playoff."Niemann had a chance at winning it on the 72nd green, but he missed a 17-foot putt.Niemann stated, "I should have won the tournament, but it is what it was." "I'm going home to rest next week, and I'm going try to do my best to make it to the Open [Championship] or the Olympics."Niemann hit two shots at 17 that were 569 yards long. He also two-putted at 14 feet to lead at 18 under. But he soon had company.Merritt was with Niemann in the last group. He made his fourth birdie on a 5-hole stretch to share the lead at 17.Davis was among the leaders in the eagle birdie finish.Davis said, "I've been put in some good places before, but to play the kind of golf I did coming down the stretch was just amazing," Davis said. He entered the tournament having finished the previous two years with four top-10 finishes.Merritt, who is 35 years old, was aiming for his third PGA Tour victory and first since 2018. Merritt, 35, has been in contention recently but came up short.He said, "It's been an enjoyable couple of months, four top-10s and now nice finish this week." "I hope for that win. "We're knocking at the door."Niemann, 22 years old, was in the second- and third rounds of the lead, and was also runner-up for a third time. Niemann also lost in a playoff at Sentry Tournament of Champions.Harris English defeated Kramer Hickok last week in the Travelers Championship in an eight-hole playoff. This was the second-longest sudden-death in PGA Tour history. After finishing 6 under, Hickok stayed to see the Detroit playoff.Alex Noren (64) was a part of the 17-year-old lead. He escaped the heat and humidity but still planned to leave the clubhouse as soon as someone was a stroke ahead. That happened with three competitors. Noren was tied for fourth with Hank Lebioda (68).Bubba Watson surged to the top of the leaderboard earlier in the hot and steamy afternoon, scoring a 64 that put him at 16 below. He briefly held the lead and tied for sixth place with Brandon Hagy (68).
