WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. -- Halfway through his final round at The Greenbrier Classic, Robert Streb broke his putter, then used a 56-degree wedge to convert five birdie "putts" on the back-nine before losing in a four-man playoff with Danny Lee taking the win.
It was enough to sound like a scene from the movie "Tin Cup" -- or a Dan Jenkins novel.
Following a par on the ninth hole, Streb casually tossed his Scotty Cameron model putter toward his golf bag and it snapped between the shaft and the clubhead.
"I meant to lightly land it next to my bag," he later explained, insisting that he didn't hurl the club in anger. "It didn't quite make it far enough, hit the bottom of the bag and the head flew off. I was like, 'Huh, that's not good.' "
Official rules precluded Streb from replacing the putter during the course of the round, so he and caddie Steve Catlin opted for a wedge to hit all putts.
After tapping in for birdie on the 10th hole, he used the wedge to roll in putts of 4, 26, 10 and 5 feet down the stretch.
"I was very surprised," Streb said of his putting prowess with the wedge. "I was just trying to get it close to the hole, and a couple of them went my way."
The rules stipulate Streb was allowed to replace the putter for the playoff. He put a backup into the bag, but never got a chance to use it. He missed the green on the first playoff hole and chipped one close but was eliminated when Lee and David Hearn each made their birdie putts.
Streb said that while he's broken his putter a few times in the past, it was always during a practice round.
