He’s the golfer who beat Gary Player in a playoff for his final ever win on the PGA Tour

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Gary Player is a golfing legend in his own right but that doesn’t mean he was completely unbeatable.

Player won nine majors as he wrote his name in golfing history and he continues to be one of the very top players from yesteryear who we hear a lot from.

Still, while Player was brilliant in his own right and blazed a trail for South African golf, he was – like any other golfer – beatable.

Indeed, when it came to one particular playoff back in 1961, Player was the man involved as the experienced Jay Herbert won his final PGA Tour event.

How Jay Herbert beat Gary Player in a playoff to win his final PGA Tour event

Jay Herbert is not the household name we’d normally hear about when it comes to legends of the game but he’s still got his own story to tell and it does indeed involve Gary Player.

Going into the 1961 American Golf Classic, Herbert was part of a field full of quality that were looking to win what was the inaugural event for the tournament.

It turned out to be a thriller, as Player looked to be on course to seal yet another win on the PGA Tour.

However, needing a birdie on the final hole to make a playoff with Player, Herbert holed a putt from some 20-feet to ensure that the South African had to keep playing.

It proved decisive as well, as Herbert then held his nerve in the sudden death playoff. It took two playoff holes, but Herbert made a birdie on the par five second to hold off Player and secure a dramatic win.

For Herbert, it proved to be his final ever win on the PGA Tour, making it five overall for his career, including his PGA Championship win in 1960.

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Jay Herbert’s PGA Tour career

He might not be a household name to most, but Jay Herbert very much carved out a superb career on the PGA Tour.

He played 425 times on the TOUR, winning five times and only failing to make the cut on 38 occasions out of those 425.

Crucially, he finished runner-up another 16 times and carded a remarkable 50 top five finishes along the way as well, with a whopping 110 top tens.

Certainly, beating Player in his final effort is certainly something to remember.