Zach and Mike at The 2009 Players

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- James Driscoll didn't see where Zach Johnson's approach landed on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff Sunday, he could tell by the roar it was close. Johnson sank the birdie putt to successfully defend his Valero Texas Open title and end Driscoll's unlikely final-round surge from eight strokes back at La Cantera Golf Club.
     Johnson's win capped a wild shootout in which seven players stood within a stroke with four holes left. The 2007 Masters champion followed his third-round 60 with a 70 to match Driscoll at 15-under 265, then hit the 6-iron approach in the playoff to set up his sixth career PGA TOUR victory.   
     "I feel very lucky," said Johnson, who earned $1,098,000.
     Johnson, a student of Mike Bender's for nearly a decade, vaulted to the top of the FedExCup standings, passing Geoff Ogilvy and Phil Mickelson -- the only other two-time winners on the PGA TOUR this season. Johnson also won the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.
     Everyone at the Mike Bender Golf Academy congratulates Zach on his extraordinary play.