Nick Taylor Closes Out Another Win – In the fast-paced world of golf betting prediction, players often rise to prominence behind high contention rates and regular opportunities near the top of major leaderboards. However, Canadian Nick Taylor has carved out a stellar career built on a different skill – by combining special poise, precision putting and killer instinct to produce victories in only a small handful of chances when trophies are within grasp.
Taylor, who entered the day four shots off the lead, stormed up the leaderboard with a closing 7-under 65, making birdies on five of his last six holes to force extra holes with Hoffman. After lipping out an eagle putt to win on the first playoff hole, the Canadian regrouped to roll in an 11-footer on the next hole to claim his fifth career PGA Tour title.
The win reinforced Taylor’s reputation as one of the best closers in golf. Time and again, he has shown that when he’s in contention on Sundays, he has the ability to go low and chase down the leaders. Bettors who had backed the unheralded Taylor were handsomely rewarded for their faith in his finishing skills.
Steady Start Sets Stage for Stirring Finish
Nick Taylor began the final round four shots off Hoffman’s lead, seemingly an afterthought among some big-name players ahead of him on the leaderboard. But an opening birdie seemed to set the tone for his spectacular day.
Rattling off pars through the next 10 holes, Taylor lurked while the leaders stumbled. A 30-foot birdie bomb on 12 closed the gap to just two shots. After another par on 13, Taylor put his foot on the gas pedal. He stuck his approach to five feet on the driveable 15th hole for a kick-in birdie. On 16, he cozied his third shot to tap-in range on the par-5 to get within one.
After Hoffman made bogey ahead, Taylor suddenly found himself tied. A nervy up-and-down par on 17 kept him there. Showing the steely resolve that has marked his career, Taylor confidently rifled his approach on 18 to 21 feet. He calmly rolled in the slippery, left-to right birdie putt to post a clubhouse lead at 21-under. At this point, bettors who got the pre-tournament odds of +2500 on Taylor were cheering.
Nick Taylor Closes Out Another Win – Taylor Holds His Nerve in Playoff
Hoffman still had a chance to win in regulation, but his 12-foot birdie try slid by. In the ensuing playoff on 18, both players blistered impressive shots into makeable birdie range. With the trophy on the line, Taylor showed why fans have come to expect him delivering in crunch time.
Striding up to his 14-foot putt, Taylor boldly rammed it into the cup with authority, as if there was no doubt it was going in. The stone-cold confidence and execution under immense pressure was vintage Taylor. “I just backed myself to make it, to be honest,” said Taylor of the putt. “I hit it where I was looking.”
While Hoffman admirably kept pace with his own clutch seven-footer, Taylor was resolute as they headed back to 18 again. On the second extra hole, Taylor stuck his approach even closer, to 11 feet right of the flag. After Hoffman failed to make birdie from 24 feet, the stage was set for the Canadian to close out an epic win.
With fans ringing the green roaring approval, Taylor calmly and confidently stroked his birdie right into the heart of the cup, eliciting a fierce fist pump as the victory sunk in.
Taylor’s Rare Closing Skills Sets Him Apart
The thrilling victory was Taylor’s fifth on Tour and further solidified his standing as one of the best closers in the game today. While he may fly under the radar at times and contend less than some household names, numbers show that when Taylor is in the hunt, he finishes the job at an unusually high rate.
His steely putting and persistence in head-to-head duels is a pattern seen in big wins like his national Open triumph as well as close calls like last year’s Phoenix Open. Taylor clearly has an extra competitive gear that he summons when the trophy is within reach late on Sundays.
For golf bettors seeking value plays in compliant sportsbooks in the USA, Taylor checks many boxes. His closing ability means if he starts a final round within striking distance of the top, a surge to victory is highly possible. Considering his weaker contention frequency, the long odds on Taylor often outweigh the implied probability given how well he converts wins.
Keep Taylor on your radar screen going forward as a dangerous dark horse, especially on courses like TPC Scottsdale where he has now won twice. No lead is safe when this world-class putter starts dropping bombs late on the final day.
