Derek Ernst Shocks Golf World, Wins Wells Fargo Championship

Derek Ernst Shocks Golf World, Wins Wells Fargo Championship











Ryan Ballengee May 6, 2013 2:01 PM


COMMENTARY | Derek Ernst's calendar just filled out for the rest of the year.



With a par on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff against David Lynn, Ernst won the Wells Fargo Championship for his maiden PGA Tour title.



To say this was completely unexpected is quite an understatement.



On Monday, the 22-year-old UNLV product w
as the fourth alternate at Quail Hollow, just as well assuming he would make the drive to Athens, Ga., to compete in the Web.com Tour's Stadion Classic this week. Then, largely in response to the poorly conditioned greens at Quail Hollow, the withdrawals began. There were nine in total, with Ernst landing a spot when Fredrik Jacobson decided not to give it a go.





The expectations had to be somewhat low for Ernst, who had missed five of his last six cuts in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. His best finish of the year came a week ago in New Orleans, cashing a T-47 check at the Zurich Classic -- only his second payday of 2013.



However, Ernst found himself in a seven-way tie for first after opening 5-under-67 at Quail Hollow. Most could be forgiven for assuming the likes of Rory McIlroy, Nick Watney, Ryan Moore or Robert Garrigus would be more likely threats from that Thursday gaggle to win the title on Sunday.



Ernst didn't go away, though he didn't find the 60s for the remainder of the week. He played 3-under golf for the final 54 holes, including a 2-under-70 on Sunday, May 5 that was good enough to land him in a playoff with the runner-up from last summer's PGA Championship.



Phil Mickelson could have prevented this fairy tale story from reaching its surprising conclusion, but two bogeys in the final three holes cleared the stage for Ernst. McIlroy had his chances, but atrocious putting left him in the dust or, more appropriately, stuck in the mud. Nick Watney seemed poised to win yet again, but he was unable to hang on Sunday in rainy conditions.



In the playoff, Ernst handled the pressure like a veteran twice his age. He made a rather routine-looking par on one of the most difficult holes on the PGA Tour, snagging the win when Lynn could not match him. In fact, the win was reminiscent of what Joey Sindelar, then 46 years old, did in 2004 when he won the second edition of this championship in a two-hole playoff over Arron Oberholser.



The contrast? Sindelar's win was his first in 370 PGA Tour starts. Ernst won in just his eighth start.



The week prior, another 20-something claimed his maiden PGA Tour win -- that the golf world saw coming for months. Billy Horschel, 26, had been knocking hard on the door throughout this season. The Florida product owns the tour's longest active cuts-made streak. He had finished on the medal stand in two of his last three starts before winning at TPC Louisiana. Ernst's win came amid nasty, rainy conditions in Charlotte -- not ideal for seeing something like this in the offing.



Now Ernst will get to experience all of the perks of being a rather sudden PGA Tour winner. He has a spot in The Players next week, as well as the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions next year and, yes, an invitation to the 2014 Masters. He also has the peace of mind from knowing his spot on the PGA Tour is secure for two years.



There likely will not be a win quite like this one on the PGA Tour for way longer than two years.



Ernst battled his way through all four stages of PGA Tour Q-school to earn his playing privileges this season. That path has been blocked, however, by the rise of the Web.com Tour finals, moving all PGA Tour cards that were available through Q-school to a four-tournament series combining the best of the Web.com Tour and the not-so-best of the PGA Tour. The Derek Ernsts of the world would likely need a one-year pit stop on the Web.com Tour to get this opportunity.



Ernst, who entered the week at 1,207th in the Official World Golf Ranking, is expected to land in the top 125 -- likely a record leap. That's appropriate considering what he accomplished in Charlotte.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel.