University of North Carolina Athletics
Former Tar Heel Mark Wilson Wins Waste Management Phoenix Open
February 7, 2011 | Men's Golf
Feb. 7, 2011
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -
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Former Tar Heel golfer Mark Wilson (1994-97) sank a nine-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to capture the championship at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. This was Wilson's fourth career win and second win in three starts that vaulted him to the top of the FedExCup.
"I'm just riding this train as long as I can," Wilson told the Golf Channel after his win. "This is the best golf I've played in my life."
Wilson, who won the Sony Open earlier this year, concluded regulation play at 18-under-par in a tie with Jason Dufner at TPC Scottsdale, a par 71 layout. The two players then headed to 18th tee and both players carded a par 4. Next up was the par-4 10th hole where Dufner posted a par-4 and Wilson picked up his first birdie of the day along with the championship trophy and the $1,098,000 winner's share that goes along with it.
Wilson began Monday on the 13th green with a two-stroke lead over Dufner, Tommy Gainey and Vijay Singh after play in Sunday's final round was suspended due to darkness. Singh had already completed his round with a 5-under 66. On Monday, Dufner had four holes left to play while Wilson and Gainey had five holes left, in addition to their final putts on #13. Dufner birdied the par-3 16th and par-4 17th holes while Wilson posted all pars on his remaining holes. That set up the exciting two-hole playoff.
Aside from his two wins this year, Wilson won the 2007 Honda Classic and the 2009 Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico. Wilson was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer at Carolina in 1996 and 1997 and was also honorable mention All-America those same two years. He won the 1996 ACC Championship and was the 1996 Ben Hogan Award winner based on his academic and athletic excellence.
