Potter Jr books place at Masters with AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am win

Ted Potter Jr ended a six year wait for his second PGA Tour win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am, claiming a three shot victory over some of the World’s best.

This was the 34-year-old’s first win since the 2012 Greenbrier Classic, shooting a final round three-under 69 to finish three clear of World No.1 Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, Phil Mickelson and last week’s runner-up Chez Reavie. 

It’s more notably his first victory since a broken right ankle forced him to miss nearly two years of competition after he slipped on a curb in 2014. 

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“It’s definitely pleasing. I mean, it was a struggle there,” Potter said. “When you break your ankle and you don’t know what’s going to happen with your golf swing or career … to come back from that, I mean it’s just unbelievable right now.”

“It’s just so good right now. To get my second career win after five years away from it. Going back to the Masters is going to be definitely another dream come true. Try to get back there and win the Par-3 Contest again. That was a lot of fun. This has just been a blast this week and it’s unbelievable right now.”

Potter was in the final group on Sunday with World No.1 Dustin Johnson, who not only has won at Pebble Beach twice in his career, but has a considerable advantage off the tee – yet neither of these things seemed to phase him. 

“I’m sure everybody knew probably going into this tournament Dustin’s probably going to win the golf tournament,” he said.  

“So I knew I’m the underdog there. What do I got to lose, really? Just go out there and try to play the best golf I could today and see what happens. Why put more pressure on myself to say I’m playing against the world No. 1?”

Potter Jr was on 59 watch after getting to 11-under-par through 13 holes on Thursday during the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, but he bogeyed his final two holes to shoot a 62 and headed in to the final round tied for the lead with World No.1 Dustin Johnson. 

It was a nervy start for Potter Jr, whose three-putt from 25-feet led him to bogey his first hole of the day, but he recovered with four birdies in his next six holes to get 17-under-par. The most pivotal of these was the last, where Potter Jr chipped in for birdie on the par-three seventh, putting distance between him and the rest of the field. 

Nine pars on the inward nine were more than enough for the World No. 246 to secure his win, as both Dustin Johnson and Jason Day countered birdies with too many costly bogeys and finished at 14-under-par. Chez Reavie put together a four-under 68 for his second T2 finish in as many weeks, while Phil Mickelson birdied three of his last five holes to join the trio with a five-under 67. 

Defending champion Jordan Spieth ended up in a share for 20th at eight-under-par, while Jon Rahm’s erratic six-over back nine left him in a tie for 26th place with a four-over final round 76. 

Meanwhile, Kevin Streelman and Larry Fitzgerald took home the team title, shooting a 12-under-par final round to win the title by seven strokes. 

Ted Potter Jr: What’s in the bag

Driver: Ping G400

3-wood: Ping G400

Hybrids: Ping G400

Irons (4-9): Ping iBlade; (PW): Ping Glide 2.0

Wedges: Cleveland RTX-3 (54, 60°)

Putter: Odyssey White Hot #2

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV