Rose tops Spaun in playoff to win St. Jude C'ship as Fleetwood falters again

Justin Rose reeled off four straight back-nine birdies to force a playoff then birdied the third hole of sudden death to beat J.J. Spaun for the St. Jude Championship on Sunday as Tommy Fleetwood endured more PGA Tour agony.

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Rose started the day one shot off the lead and was two-over for the day through nine holes. His challenge seemed stalled after he followed a birdie at the lOth with a bogey at I2, but a 15-foot birdie at the l4th launched his comeback

England's Rose, the 2013 US Open champion, had six birdies over his last eight holes including the playoff — climbing up the congested leaderboard with birdies at I4, 5, I6 and I7 in regulation.

His final-round 67 pulled him level with reigning US Open champion Spaun on I6-under par 264 at TPC Southwind — where overnight leader Fleetwood had a two-shot lead with three holes remaining but faltered with a bogey at I7 in a one-under 69 that left him tied for third with Scottie Scheffler on I5-under 265.

Spaun carded a five-under 65 in the final round, posting back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 — where he rolled in a 20-foot putt — to put himself in the playoff.