Tommy Fleetwood of England said he was “upset” to miss out on a first PGA Tour win after a one-over final round when he finished third in the Honda Classic.
At the par-five 18th, the overnight leader needed a birdie to force a play-off with Sunghae Im but hit his second shot in the water as he closed with a bogey.
“You live or die by the shots you hit,” said the world number 12.
The 21-year-old South Korean Im posted a four-under 66 to earn a first PGA Tour title on six under, one over Mackenzie Hughes.
Fleetwood, a five-time European Tour champion, took a one-shot lead in the final round at PGA National in Palm Beach, Florida and extended the advantage on the first two holes with birdies.
Yet two dropped shots, in breezy weather, saw him fall back into a share of the lead going into the back nine.
Then a bogey at the 13th had him play catch-up, while Im played some stellar golf. The South Korean birded on the 15th and 17th-two of the three holes on the famed Bear Trap of the course-and set the target for the clubhouse.
Fleetwood had to catch him by birdie the last two holes and at the 17th he holed a great putt for birdie.
Yet his dreams faded after a flawless drive down the last, when his five-wood approach shot landed in the water. Not aided by a fan screaming “get in the hole” the split second he pulled the trigger on his backswing.
“It’s golf. I’m disappointed, of course, angry, but I’m all right,” he told Sky Sports after claiming a fourth top-three result in his last six tournaments.
“I feel like I’m quite a consistent player. I got up there and had a chance of winning. I’m not doing that as much as I would like, but winning is hard.
“You have to keep pushing forward and I’m not getting worse at golf. I’m getting better.”
Lee Westwood shot a level-par 70 to finish joint fourth on three under, while fellow Englishman Luke Donald took two more shots back after closing with a 72.
Sungjae Im WITB 2020:
Driver: Titleist TS3 (10.5°, Graphite Design Tour AD DI-7x shaft)
Fairway wood: Titleist TS3 (15°, Graphite Design Tour AD DI-8x shaft)
Utility: Titleist 818 H1 (19°, Graphite Design Tour AD DI-105X shaft)
Irons: Titleist T100 (4-9, Dynamic Gold X100 shafts)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 (46°, 52°, 56°,60°, Dynamic Gold X100 shafts)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 6
