Bits from Blaine
Round recap
Joe Durant closed the 3M Championship with a 9-under 63 while Miguel Angel Jimenez — the final-round solo leader for the second straight event — rallied with four consecutive birdies. He shot 67 to match Durant's 19-under-par total and force the second playoff in the 24-year tournament history. Durant prevailed with an eagle on the first playoff hole. Durant played exceedingly well on the weekend, shooting 17-under 127 the rest of the way after a 2-under 70 on Friday. Durant shoots up to second on the season money list, behind Bernhard Langer, who finished the 3M in a tie for third place.
Chip shots
• Langer now has earned $1,097,643 in his career at this tournament, an average of $137,205 per start.
• Leonard Thompson won the only other playoff in 3M Championship history, defeating Isao Aoki on the second hole in a rain-shortened 1998 event.
• Two-time defending champion Kenny Perry finished tied for 37th.
Quote of the day
"When you think of who the king of low scores is, I think we have found the answer."
— Paul Goydos, who shot 59 in 2010, on fellow 59 Club member Jim Furyk, who shot 58 on the PGA Tour on Sunday.
Hole of the day
No. 18, 582-yard par-5
Wes Short Jr. carded the only eagle at the finishing hole, until Durant ended the tournament with his 10-footer to win the playoff.
Quick Q&A
Up and down with Roger Stewart. The TPC Twin Cities course superintendent will retire next year after 21 years manicuring golf courses for tournament play.
Q When was the last night you got decent sleep?
A We have about a month-long run over a tournament span. We do a member-guest week, then advance week for the tournament, then the tournament itself and then next week is all of our aerification. That's four weeks in a row we work some pretty screwed-up hours. I find myself trying to keep my eyes open at 3 in the afternoon. But that's the business.
Q What does it mean to you that tour pros here rave about the course conditions and shoot low?
A It's extremely rewarding to hear that. I'm particularly excited for my staff when I hear that. They can hear it from me all day long. When a tour player says it, and they see it on TV or whatever, you can tell by the body language that they think it is pretty cool.
Q Could TPC Twin Cities host a PGA Tour event?
A Very easily. It'll take some changes; I assume there would be a few new tees that will add some length. If you look at the regular tour events — I'm not talking about majors — all of them as an aggregate, low scores are not that unusual at all. I don't think that the focus is single-digit winners. It's good competition, fairness and great conditions.
Brian Stensaas