Kevin Tway Wins Safeway Open After Snedeker Collapse

Kevin Tway won the PGA Tour's 2018/19 season opener with a strong finish in California

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Kevin Tway Wins Safeway Open After Snedeker Collapse

Kevin Tway, son of 1986 USPGA Champion Bob Tway, won his maiden PGA Tour title at the Safeway Open on a windy day in Napa, California.

He was tied with Brandt Snedeker and Ryan Moore at 14 under par after 72 holes and three-straight birdies in the playoff saw them both off.

Tway also birdied 17 and 18 so finished his day with five in a row.

The Tways become the 10th father/son duo to win on the PGA Tour.

Kevin Tway moves up to a career-high 85th in the world. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

He closed with a one under par 71 on Sunday, enough to catch 54-hole leader Brandt Snedeker who shot two over.

Snedeker bemoaned his final round performance after his round on social media, thanking fans for the support, saying that “[I] don’t deserve it after that junk!!”

No one to blame but myself.. I have to find a way to win today.. Can’t wait to tee it up next week in Malaysia.. Not going to let 9 bad holes make me forget about the other 63..I am going to get that 10th win soon!! Thanks for all the support, don’t deserve it after that junk!!

— Brandt Snedeker (@BrandtSnedeker) October 8, 2018

Snedeker was three ahead after 54 holes and stretched his lead to five on the front nine but bogeys on 10, 11, 12 and 17 de-railed him.

He then failed to birdie the par-5 18th.

The nine-time PGA Tour winner was eliminated after the first playoff hole before Moore and Tway both birdied the second.

Tway won the third playoff hole, the 10th, with a 10ft birdie putt.

A moment he'll remember forever.@KevinTway is a PGA TOUR winner. 🏆#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/xq4naPtRK8

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 8, 2018

Ryan Moore, the third man in the playoff, equalled the low round of the day with a 65 (-5). His birdie try on the 10th came up just short.

Elsewhere, Fred Couples closed with a 75 to finish at five under and T41st.

The 1992 Masters champion, who shot 65 to make the cut, revealed earlier in the week that the Safeway Open may well be his final regular PGA Tour start.

Leaderboard:

1 Kevin Tway -14

T2 Ryan Moore -14

T2 Brandt Snedeker -14

T4 Luke List -13

T4 Troy Merritt -13

T4 Sam Ryder -13

T4 Aaron Baddeley -13

T4 Sungjae Im -13

9 JB Holmes -11

T10 Danny Lee -10

T10 Jim Knous -10