DUBLIN, Ohio -- William McGirt thought he hit it big when he won the Cabarrus Classic and pocketed $16,000, the second-largest prize on the Tar Heel Tour.
That was in 2007, and it felt like a lifetime ago compared with the perks from winning the Memorial on Sunday.
The victory was worth $1.53 million and a three-year exemption for a guy who once dreamed of simply having a PGA Tour card.
Waiting to congratulate him was tournament host Jack Nicklaus, who raved about the bunker shot on the 18th hole that kept McGirt in the playoff at Muirfield Village, and the flop shot from behind the 18th green that led to a 6-foot putt and his first PGA Tour victory in his 165th try.
U.S. Open qualifying? Take the day off.
McGirt moves up to No. 43 in the world and was assured a spot in his first national championship.
"It will all sink in at some point," McGirt said.
This was a long time coming.
McGirt couldn't count all the mini-tours he played and the self-doubts he ignored, including a four-month stretch in which he only saw his wife for four days. But on Sunday against the strongest field of the year for a regular PGA Tour event, McGirt made his first victory one to remember.
He played the final 22 holes at Muirfield Village without a bogey. His final par in regulation was the most important, a two-putt from 65 feet for a 1-under 71 that allowed him to join Jon Curran (70) in a playoff at 15-under 273.
Curran, who knows Nicklaus from being a member at his Bear's Club in south Florida, looked like a winner when he hit 7-iron out of a fairway bunker on the 17th hole to 7 feet for birdie to join McGirt at 15 under. McGirt was battling his swing and trying to hang on. He saved par from a bunker on the 17th. He had the long two-putt for par on the 18th hole. And he was in trouble on the 18th in a playoff, facing a deep bunker shot to a back pin.
He expertly used the slope behind the hole and watched his shot roll back to a few feet to stay alive.
"That was a long bunker shot," Nicklaus said.
"I don't want to hit it again," McGirt replied.
Playing the 18th for the third time, Curran misjudged the strong wind at his back and went into the gallery above the green, and his pitch ran down the slope well past the hole, leading to bogey. McGirt also went long and played a perfect flop shot to 6 feet for the winner.
"Surprisingly, I felt no nerves standing over that putt and poured it right in the middle," McGirt said.
Johnson finished alone in third -- his fifth finish in the top 5 this season -- while Rory McIlroy (68) tied for fourth with Kuchar (73), Woodland (73) and J.B. Holmes (69).
Jason Day, a Muirfield Village member and No. 1 in the world, got to within two shots of the lead until he tumbled to a 74 and tied for 27th, matching his best result at the Memorial. Jordan Spieth shot 73 and finished 12 shots behind in a tie for 57th.
McGirt became the third consecutive Memorial champion to become a first-time PGA Tour winner, and it was the third consecutive playoff at Muirfield Village.
Defending champion David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) finished tied for 27th at 9 under and won $59,075. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) tied for 69th at 3 over, good enough for a $16,915 payday.
LPGA TOUR
Nordqvist bags ShopRite
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. -- Anna Nordqvist successfully defended her ShopRite LPGA Classic title, closing with a 7-under 64 in breezy conditions for a one-stroke victory over Haru Nomura.
Nordqvist, 28, became the oldest tour winner this year by more than five years and the first to successfully defend a title since Inbee Park won the KPMG Women's PGA for the third consecutive time last year.
Nordqvist finished at 17-under 196 on Stockton Seaview's Donald Ross-designed Bay Course to tie the tournament record that Annika Sorenstam set in 1998 and matched in 2005. The former Arizona State player earned $225,000 for her sixth tour title.
Gaby Lopez (Arkansas Razorbacks) tied for 31st and won $9,021. Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razororbacks) was 67th, good enough for $3,253.
CHAMPIONS TOUR
McCarron finds winner's circle
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Scott McCarron won the Principal Charity Classic for his first PGA Tour Champions title, birdieing the final three holes for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke victory.
McCarron, 50, finished at 15-under 201 at Wakonda Club to edge Miguel Angel Jimenez and Billy Andrade. Making his 17th start on the 50-and-over tour, McCarron won for the first time since taking the 2001 Bellsouth Classic for the last of his three PGA Tour titles.
Andrade had a 68 after shooting a course-record 63 on Saturday. Jimenez shot a 67.
Glen Day (Little Rock) finished seven strokes behind in a tie for 32nd place and won $11,550. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) was 1 over and won $3,062.
PGA EUROPEAN
Fitzpatrick wins in Stockholm
STOCKHOLM -- England's Matthew Fitzpatrick won the Nordea Masters for his second European Tour title, shooting a 1-under 71 for a three-stroke victory.
Fitzpatrick, 21, finished at 16-under 272 at Bro Hof Slott. He won the British Masters in November.
Denmark's Lasse Jensen was second after a 68.
Sports on 06/06/2016