Brendan’s nerves of Steele leading pack at Frys.com Open

Emiliano Grillo of Argentina won his PGA Tour rookie debut at the Frys.com Open by making a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 3-under-par 69, and then making the most out of a second chance in the playoff to beat Kevin Na. He struck the ball well, made four birdies for a 3-under 69 and walked off Silverado with a one-shot lead going into the final round.

“It was the same type of putt I had in Puerto Rico, only I hit this one good; I don’t know what happened, ” he said. “If you’re nervous, enjoy being nervous and enjoy the pressure and just give your best”. Young players with partial status are in the field to get a jump on FedEx Cup points before the season hits the meat of the schedule – and events that they are crowded out of by the full-status players who were able to relax for a few weeks over the winter after the Tour Championship.

Steele shot a three-under 69 to retain the lead on 202.

In a sense Grillo is one of the old fashioned players in so much has played extensively internationally and learnt his craft on the variety provided by such before committing himself to the US.

VILAMOURA, Portugal – England’s Andy Sullivan won the Portugal Masters by a tournament-record nine stroke, closing with a 5-under 66 to finish at 23-under 261. Na knocked his third just over the green with his ball going through a hole in the branches of the tree. Rose, the 2013 U.S. Open champion is sitting T-6 after 36 holes, at 8-under, while on-again, off-again World #1 McIlroy had an unresponsive putter to blame (mostly) for his 5-under T-19. “What do I need, five more wins and two majors?”

Grillo and Na finished a shot ahead of Tyrone Van Aswegen, Justin Thomas and Jason Bohn, while Justin Rose was a further two strokes adrift on 12 under after a mixed-bag of a 72 on the final day.

The with the par-four playing at 296, Grillo opted to go for the green, and thought McIlroy and the others in his group were out of the way.

Canadian Graham DeLaet and American Harold Varner III, in his first PGA Tour event of 2015 and just his fourth overall, were also sitting pretty on nine under.

They went extra holes, two playoff holes in the fading daylight, to decide the champion of the Frys.com Open on Sunday at Silverado Resort and Spa.

Grillo made an excellent 25-footer to get into the playoff, Na an impressive up-and-down, but neither player looked like he wanted to win when it got to sudden death.

Na got up-and-down with a 6-foot putt on the 18th in regulation for a 70 to force a playoff.

“I hit this one good”.

Rory McIlroy is at six-under in a tie for 39th.

Along with the trophy, he added to what is already known as the “Class of 2011” – a high school graduating class that includes Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Patrick Rodgers, Ollie Schniederjans and Daniel Berger, who was voted PGA Tour rookie of the year. The 2014-15 season set a new season record for most wins by players in their 20s since 1970 with 24.

“I was fortunate to pull out that win in Ohio”.