Davis honourable in defeat to Furyk

England’s Brian Davis came as near as you can to winning a PGA Tour event, without actually doing so.

In the end, he lost the Verizon Heritage Classic to Jim Furyk, at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff, when he called a two-shot penalty on himself after moving a reed on his backswing.

There was minimal movement, only really detectable on the slow-motion replay; and given there was no improvement to his lie, it was a tough call.

“I thought I saw movement out the corner of my eye,” said the Davis, who had holed a clutch 18-foot birdie putt to get into the playoff,” and so I thought we’d check it on television; and indeed there was movement.”

“It’s just awkward to see it happen at such a key moment in the golf tournament,” said Furyk. “It was awkward for him to lose that way, and a little awkward for me to win like that.”

In Europe, YE Yang won the Volvo China Masters by two shtos from two Welshmen, Stephen Dodd and Rhys Davies. In fact, there were three Welshman in the top-4, given that Jamie Donaldson finished three shots behind Yang.

It was a welcome return to form for the South Korean, who had not won since defeating Tiger Woods in last year’s USPGA Championship. Until his bogey at the final hole (by which time he’d effectively won the tournament) he went an incredible 50 holes without dropping a shot.

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