'Unreal' playoff win for Watson

Bubba Watson won the Travelers Championship for his first PGA Tour title, overcoming a 6-stroke deficit and beating Scott Verplank with a par on the second hole of playoff Sunday at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

Watson, the long-hitting left-hander from the Florida Panhandle, closed with a 4-under 66 to match Verplank (64) and Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin (66) at 14 under. Pavin dropped out on the first extra hole.

After making a 3-footer on the par-3 16th to win, Watson hugged wife Angie and began crying. He said he was so nervous, he could not feel his arms on the final putt.

"For me to get into a playoff after shooting 4 under was unreal, and to somehow make that par putt to win was unreal," said Watson, who had the largest comeback on the tour since Padraig Harrington also came from six back to win the 2007 British Open.

Verplank left his tee shot short of the green on the second playoff hole and missed an 8-foot par putt. Watson, who had a 48-footer for birdie, was able to steady his nerves enough to get it close.

The 50-year-old Pavin was eliminated on the first playoff hole after hitting his tee shot just 219 yards (101 yards shorter than Watson) and putting his approach into a bunker short of the 18th green. He chipped to 3 feet, earning a standing ovation.

"The playoff was a little disappointing to me," he said. "I kind of popped up a three-wood there and left myself in a pretty precarious spot."

Justin Rose, coming off his first PGA Tour win this month at the Memorial, had a 3-stroke lead entering the round. But the 29-year-old Englishman shot a 75 to tie for ninth at 11 under.

"It was obviously my tournament to lose," Rose said. "I could have shot 1-over par today and won the golf tournament."

Watson almost won on the first playoff hole, hitting a sand wedge on his approach within an inch of the cup from 128 yards out. But Verplank made an 8-foot birdie putt to extend the playoff.

Verplank started the day in 13th place, 8 strokes behind Rose, while Pavin and Watson were both 6 back.

Dick's Sporting Goods Open: Loren Roberts birdied the final hole for a closing 7-under 65 to win the Dick's Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y., by 1 stroke over Fred Funk.

BMW International Open: David Horsey of England won the BMW International Open in Munitch by 1 stroke over countryman Ross Fisher, shooting a 5-under 67 to claim the biggest victory of his career.