Raymond Floyd sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the first sudden-death playoff hole today as he and his son Robert beat Johnny and Scott Miller to win the Office Depot Father-Son Challenge.
The victory was the fourth in six years in the $860,000 event for for the Floyd family. Raymond won three times with his other son, Raymond Jr.
The Floyds, who lost in a playoff last year to Jack and Gary Nicklaus, won $150,000.
"I've had two good partners,'' Raymond Floyd said. "I think both of us put some pressure on ourselves this year to get Robert a title, but at the end we were just playing our game and not
thinking about that.''
Robert Floyd, 24, fell short this year in second-stage qualifying for the PGA Tour.
"It's always special winning next to your dad, but I'm also
thinking maybe this will be a bit of a springboard for me in what I
want to do with my career,'' he said.
The Floyds shot a 12-under-par 60 at the Ocean Club at Atlantis
Resort to finish the 36-hole scramble competition at 22-under 122.
The Millers carded a 59, including a 15-foot birdie putt by Johnny
on the 18th hole to force the playoff.
In the playoff, which started at 18, Scott Miller hit a 6-iron
to 35 feet after Ray Floyd's 5-iron stopped 12 feet behind the
hole. The Millers just missed on either side and then watched the
elder Floyd sink the winner after Robert's attempt slid by.
"We played about as good as we could play, put up a 59, so I
can't feel too unhappy,'' said Johnny Miller, a golf commentator
for NBC Sports. "The Floyds should be in the Father-Son Hall of
Fame. That last putt Raymond made, dead into the grain, was a hard
putt.''
The Millers began the day four shots off the lead held by Larry
and Drew Nelson, but took the lead with three consecutive birdies
on the back nine. A 6-foot eagle putt by Scott at 13 gave them a
two-shot advantage at 20-under.
Bob and David Charles, winners in 1998, tied for third place at
124 with Dave and Ron Stockton. The Nelsons tied for fifth, another
stroke back, with Jack and Jack II Nicklaus, and Craig and Kevin
Stadler.
