Connecticut golfer Ben James falls in PGA Tour playoff, still seeks first professional victory

Connecticut native Ben James plays his shot from the fourth tee during the final round of the World Wide Technology Championship 2026 at El Cardonal at Diamante on Nov. 8, 2026 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) Connecticut native Ben James lost in a sudden-death golf playoff to Blades Brown Sunday at the PGA Tour's Wild Wide Technology Championship in Mexico.Brown birdied the par-5 18th hole after James missed a 6-foot putt for birdie. James, from Milford, was trying to win for the first time on the PGA Tour since turning pro in June.James, 23, holed a 20-foot putt for eagle on the par-5 18th hole in regulation to force the sudden-death playoff.Both players had eagle putts on the first sudden death playoff hole, which was the par-5 18th, but both missed and made gimme birdies to head back to the 18th tee again. Both golfers came up short with their second shots. James chipped first, hitting it 6 feet by the hole."Definitely a lot of emotions," James told reporters. "I mean, it was a long day. I fought really, really hard. Really poor start, poor front nine. Drove the green on 10, three-putted. I couldn't really get anything going." James had a four-shot lead heading into the final round, but it was gone before he made the turn. He did share the lead a couple times during the back nine, but ended up two strokes behind Blades Brown while standing on the 16th tee. He failed to make birdie putts on holes 16 and 17, leaving it up to eagling the 18th hole. His 289-yard second shot with a 3-wood that landed on the green. He then made the 20-footer for eagle."Had a feeling that it was going to go in. Hadn't really made anything all day," James said. "Just had a really good line on it and it was a good putt. Played the best I could." Brown had finished his round and was on the driving range when James made the tying putt."Making an eagle on this final hole is no easy task," Brown told The Golf Channel. "I was hitting balls and saw he made it and I was ‘Alright, playoff, let's go'" I've known Ben since we were amateur golfers and he's just such an unbelievable player. He's lights out with the putter. I got him this time but I'm sure we are going to be battling out years to come."Brown skipped playing in college and turned professional at 17. He started the season on the Korn Ferry Tour then moved up to the PGA Tour.This is James' fifth top-10 finish since joining the PGA Tour in June courtesy of being No. 1 in the tour's University standings. He has missed the cut in just one event.James moved up to 53rd in the fall FedExCup standings. The top 60 qualify for the first two Signature Events for 2027. James has tour privileges through next year. A victory would have made him eligible through 2028.Sign up for the Connecticut Briefing from CT Insider. Get the biggest headlines of the day from our network of journalists around the state.This article originally published at Connecticut golfer Ben James falls in PGA Tour playoff, still seeks first professional victory.