Monday, June 13, 2011

Robert Karlsson a bridesmaid again in Memphis

Another year, same result for Robert Karlsson.

In a finish eerily similar to last year’s tournament, the Swede watched someone collapse on the 18th hole only to find himself come up short in a playoff again.

In 2010, it was Robert Garrigus who blew a three-shot lead that led to a three-man playoff that also included Karlsson and eventual winner Lee Westwood. This time it was Harrison Frazar hitting it in the water on the 18th — only he outlasted Karlsson in the head-to-head battle, beating him on the third extra hole.

“I cannot say I could have done much more,” Karlsson said. “It was a great match, and someone has got to win and someone has got to lose.”

Karlsson had a chance to extend the playoff to a fourth hole, but his chip shot on No. 12 settled nearly 12 feet away to leave him a difficult par putt.

The Swede missed and Frazar got his first career victory, something Karlsson, who has 11 wins on the European Tour, will have to wait for on the PGA TOUR.

”Chipping here is quite difficult in general,” Karlsson said. “The ball wasn’t lying that great. I thought I had the right club and just came at it a bit too low and landed in the down grain and just released too much.”

Still, Karlsson tried to keep his head high after another runner-up in Memphis.

“It was good fun,” he said. “That’s why were here. That’s why we play. That’s the challenge of the game to be here and to play.

“He played great and I played good as well. It’s one of those days where I think most of us had a lot of fun out there.”

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