Jeff Maggert’s time at the PGA Tour Champions’ Hoag Classic got off to a brutal start. On the par-5 18th of Friday’s first round, Maggert found himself on the green for a birdie putt from inside 10 feet.
He was 2-over at the time and had a chance to end his afternoon on a positive note. That … didn’t happen.
Instead, Maggert briefly looked like your average club golfer and repeatedly missed putts from inside five feet. He ended up five-putting the hole (a triple-bogey 8) and ending the round with a 76. It was tough to watch.
But we have to give Maggert credit here because it would have been so easy to pack it all in and give up on the tournament after that 18th-hole disaster. He didn’t do that at all. Maggert bounced back in spectacular fashion and almost won the entire freaking tournament.
In Saturday’s second round, Maggert shot an 8-under 63. He followed up that incredible round with a 6-under 65 on Sunday. In all, Maggert finished one shot shy of making the playoff. Kirk Triplett would win the tournament, and Maggert finished in third.
And sure, the embarrassing five-putt likely cost Maggert an easy win in Newport Beach. But he has to be pleased with how he rallied in the last two days.
