The eagle that put him in the driver’s seat, and the drive that took it all away

The Moment That Changed Everything

Standing on the 17th tee at TPC Deere Run on Sunday afternoon, David Lipsky was staring down the barrel of another close call. The journeyman pro had been knocking on the door all week at the John Deere Classic, but with Brian Campbell and Emiliano Grillo breathing down his neck, he needed something special.

What he delivered was pure magic.

Lipsky’s eagle putt on the par-5 17th was the kind of moment that makes golf fans leap off their couches. In one rolling ball, he went from chaser to co-leader, tied at 18-under with Campbell and Grillo. Three men, one hole, winner-takes-all drama served up on a silver platter.

For a guy who’s spent most of his career as “the other guy” in press conferences, Lipsky suddenly found himself with a real shot at his first PGA Tour victory. All he needed was a par on 18 to secure a spot in the playoff.

When Safe Isn’t Safe Enough

Here’s where golf gets cruel in that uniquely golf way. Standing on the 18th tee, Lipsky had two choices: be aggressive and try to set up a birdie to win outright, or play it safe and take his chances in a playoff.

He chose safe. Unfortunately, golf doesn’t care about your game plan.

The tee shot that was supposed to find the fairway instead found trouble – a duck hook that sent Lipsky scrambling just to stay alive. What should have been a comfortable approach to the green became a damage-control layup, followed by a pressure-packed par putt that would determine his fate.

The Putt That Almost Was

Picture this: You’ve just made the shot of your life one hole earlier. You’re tied for the lead at a PGA Tour event. All you need is one more good stroke – just roll in this par putt – and you’re in a playoff with a legitimate chance to change your life forever.

Lipsky’s par putt slid just past the hole.

In golf, “just past” might as well be a mile. Instead of heading to a playoff, Lipsky walked off the 18th green watching Campbell and Grillo duke it out for the trophy he’d held in his hands just 30 minutes earlier.

The Cruel Mathematics of Golf

The final leaderboard tells the whole story: Campbell wins at 18-under after defeating Grillo in a playoff. Lipsky and Kevin Roy tied for third at 17-under – one shot out of the playoff, one shot away from a chance at glory.

It’s the kind of finish that haunts players for years. Not because Lipsky played poorly, but because he played well enough to win and still came up empty. His final-round performance was solid, his eagle was spectacular, and his strategy was sound. Sometimes golf just doesn’t care.

The Bigger Picture

What makes Lipsky’s near-miss so compelling isn’t just the dramatic finish – it’s what it reveals about the mental side of professional golf. Here’s a guy who made one of the best shots of the tournament when it mattered most, then immediately faced a situation where playing it safe wasn’t safe at all.

The duck hook on 18 wasn’t a mental mistake or poor course management. Sometimes in golf, good swings produce bad results, and perfect plans fall apart at the worst possible moment. That’s what separates golf from other sports – you can execute everything correctly and still lose.

For viewers at home, Lipsky’s Sunday was a masterclass in how quickly fortunes change on the PGA Tour. One moment you’re draining eagle putts and tied for the lead, the next you’re watching someone else lift the trophy.

The Learning Moment

If you’re a weekend golfer watching Lipsky’s rollercoaster Sunday, here’s the takeaway: even the best players in the world face the same mental challenges you do. The pressure of a crucial shot, the decision between aggressive and conservative play, the way one bad swing can derail an otherwise great round – these are universal golf experiences.

The difference between Lipsky and the guy shooting 85 at the local muni isn’t that Lipsky doesn’t face these moments. It’s that he handles them well enough to almost win PGA Tour events instead of almost breaking par.

Almost. In golf, that word carries more weight than any other.

Final Thoughts

David Lipsky will probably replay that 18th hole in his mind for weeks. The what-ifs, the should-haves, the cruel millimeters between a playoff spot and third place. But that eagle on 17? That shot nobody can take away from him.

In a sport that specializes in breaking hearts, Lipsky’s Sunday reminded us why we love golf despite its cruelty. For 17 holes, he was the hero of his own story. For one hole, golf reminded him – and all of us – who’s really in charge.