‘I’m freaking out’: Tortured star’s $1.9m turning point as ‘1 in 100’ break swings entire career

One of the luckiest breaks ever in a PGA Tour playoff helped end one of golf’s cruellest winless streaks at the Mexico Open on Monday morning.

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Brian Campbell appeared destined to come up short of a maiden PGA Tour victory when his tee shot on the second playoff hole against Aldrich Potgieter sailed into the trees.

But a freakish ricochet off a tree — described in commentary as “the kick of a lifetime” — put his ball back into play and he went on to make a birdie at the par 5.

“That is the bounce of a career right there,” one of the commentators stated.

The other described the freak stroke a luck as a “1 in 100” moment.

“That was 20 yards over the OB stake … that ball was gone … it was the kick of a lifetime,” he said.

It was Campbell’s 187th start across the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, on which he had finished a runner-up five times.

On completing his winning birdie putt, Campbell’s partner sunk to her knees greenside and began crying before the pair shared an emotional embrace.

Campbell described being shell-shocked in victory.

“I’m literally freaking out in side. I have no idea what’s going on,” he said.

“I’m so appreciative of everything and to be in this position is so unreal, it’s awesome.”

Asked about the kick off the tree, he said: “Oh my gosh, that bounce. I mean, I’ll take it.”

Campbell’s win was also made possible by a short missed birdie putt from Potgieter, who had started the day with a one-shot lead over the American.

The 20-year-old South African, who spent much of his childhood in Perth, tied the course record with a stunning ten-under par second round but endured a nervy even-par final round as he too chased a first PGA Tour victory.

Playing in the same group in the final round before extending their battle to two playoff holes, Potgieter and Campbell’s battle was a clash of opposites.

The rising star is a long bomber who was gaining an average 30-yard advantage off the tee over Campbell and was generating roughly 30mph of extra ball speed with his drives, but the American was unbothered by his stellar wedge play and short game ultimately coming up trumps.

The final playoff hole was the best example of it as Potgieter dumped his second shot at the par 5 into the greenside bunker, while Campbell left himself nearly 70 yards for his third shot and stuck his wedge to a little more than three feet to the hole.

Campbell receives a US$1.2 million (A$1.9m) payday for his breakthrough victory, and importantly earns a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour after a career that has yo-yoed between the primary and secondary US Tours.

The 31-year-old had never made a top ten on the PGA Tour before this week, but he almost doubled his career earnings in one tournament, having previously pocketed US$1.48 million since turning professional in 2015.

Campbell has also given himself the opportunity to earn a lot more money with winners on the PGA Tour guaranteed a place at The Masters and in the Tour’s US$20 million Signature Events, of which there are five remaining for the year.