BROUSSARD – Carl Yuan defeated Peter Uihlein on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by MISTRAS on Sunday.
Yuan carded a 6-under 65 on Sunday at LeTriomphe Golf and Country Club, which put him at 14-under par for the Korn Ferry Tour event. That also tied him with 2021 runner-up Peter Uihlein.
For the playoff hole, the two both found the fairway with their tee shots on the 18th. Yuan hit a wedge shot 12 feet past the hole while Uihlein hit his six feet short of the hole. Yuan drained his birdie putt and moments later Uihlein missed his putt.
“I knew I had to make mine,” Yuan said. “My coach and I worked on a couple things the last two weeks just having the confidence over a putt. No matter a 3‑footer or a 40‑footer, I have the same confidence of making it. And I have practiced (a) putt like this hundreds of times when I practice. Definitely dream about having a putt to win a tournament like this, playoff or (on) No. 18.”
The China native began the day tied for seventh at 8-under par and five strokes behind Uihlein, the outright 54-hole leader.
After playing the first three holes at even par, Yuan then carded a birdie at the par-5 first and bogey at the par-3 third. Yuan dipped into red figures again with a birdie at the par-5 fifth, then rattled off four consecutive birdies from 7-10.
A birdie then at the par-4 15th moved Yuan within two strokes of the lead, which Trevor Werbylo held for much of the back nine.
Werbylo, who was in the final pairing with Uihlein, double bogeyed the par-4 13th as Yuan walked onto the 18th tee. Yuan saved par from the greenside bunker at No. 18, while Werbylo made four consecutive pars and maintained a share of the lead.
Werbylo’s drive at No. 18 found the penalty area, though, and he missed a 15-footer for par and fell to 13-under par. Uihlein forced a playoff with Yuan after a birdie at the par-4 17th and two-putt par at the 18th.
Uihlein missed the birdie putt on the first playoff hole and finished solo second for the second straight year.
“That may be harder to do than to win, to finish runner-up twice,” Uihlein said. “I did that actually when I was in junior golf, the Orange Bowl event down in Florida, I finished runner-up three straight years. I think that was more impressive than actually winning. Back-to-back seconds, it is what it is. I enjoyed my time. I like coming here.”
Yuan, who played collegiately at University of Washington for three seasons (2015-18), now sits atop the Korn Ferry Tour standings.
The 2022 Korn Ferry Tour season continues Thursday with the first round of the inaugural Lake Charles Championship at The Country Club at Golden Nugget in Lake Charles.