Argentine Emiliano Grillo made a perfect start to his career as a PGA Tour member when he beat American Kevin Na in a playoff at the Frys.com Open in northern California Sunday. After missing a three-footer that would have won it at the first extra hole, Grillo made amends at the next, the par-five 18th, with an eight-foot birdie to edge Na at the Silverado Resort in Napa. A day after almost hitting Rory McIlroy with his drive at the reachable par-four 17th, Grillo became the sixth Argentine player to win on the American circuit, joining Roberto de Vicenzo, Jose Coceres, Angel Cabrera, Andres Romero and Fabian Gomez. It is the second successive victory for the 23-year-old, who won the Web.com Tour Championship on the secondary circuit two weeks ago. Grillo sank a 25-foot birdie at the final regulation hole to earn a spot in the playoff, but almost threw away the first event on the 2015-16 PGA Tour season when he lipped out his short putt that would have won it at the first extra hole. The putt was eerily similar to one he missed at the 72nd hole that would have won the Puerto Rico Open in March, though Grillo claimed that this time he did not hit a bad putt. After Na made a mess of the second extra hole, Grillo had the luxury of two-putting for victory, but he needed only one, ensuring he would be remembered for more than being the guy who nearly hit McIlroy. Earlier, Grillo (69) and Na (70) finished at 15-under-par 273, one stroke ahead of Americans Jason Bohn and Justin Thomas and South African Tyrone Van Aswegen. Bohn held the sole lead with three holes left, but chunked a pitch shot at the par-five 16th and made bogey. Van Aswegen barely made his tee time after waking up dizzy and going to hospital in an ambulance. Overnight leader Brendan Steele plunged out of contention with five bogeys in a six-hole stretch on the back nine. He shot 76 to tie for 17th on 10-under, one stroke better than McIlroy (69). Day back on top Jason Day has replaced Jordan Spieth as world No. 1 in the latest golf rankings released Monday. The Australian, who won his first major title at the PGA Championship in August, takes the top spot for the second time in his career. He moved ahead of Spieth on Sept. 21, but lasted just a week as the American won the Tour Championship to regain top spot. Neither player was in action last week, which ensured that Day would edge ahead based on the rankings formula with 12.42 points average to 12.40 for Spieth. — Agencies
