Steven Fisk stayed on the putting green until nearly 8 p.m. Saturday because the short putts at Hurstbourne Country Club had begun to bother him.
A day later, with the ISCO Championship hanging on the par-4 18th for a third time in sudden death, that extra work became the difference between another strong finish and a second PGA Tour title.
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Fisk split the fairway, hit his approach to 28 feet and two-putted for par. Taylor Pendrith found a fairway bunker, left his next shot short of the green and missed a 10-foot par attempt. The closing par gave Fisk the victory after both players finished regulation at 16-under 264.
Fisk closed with a 3-under 67, while Pendrith charged from several groups ahead with a 65. Their duel stretched through three playoff holes before Fisk finally separated himself.
“Kind of feel like all the work I’ve been putting in paid off,” Fisk said. “It’s been a frustrating year trying to back up that first win.”
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Steven Fisk made the putt to win the three hole play off on the 18th green for the ISCO Golf Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club. July 12, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Final Leaderboard
2026 ISCO Championship
|
Position |
Player |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Steven Fisk* |
-16 |
|
2 |
Taylor Pendrith |
-16 |
|
T3 |
Ben Silverman, Aaron Wise |
-15 |
|
T5 |
Davis Chatfield, Kristoffer Ventura, Lucas Glover |
-14 |
|
T8 |
Manuel Elvira, Zac Blair |
-13 |
*Fisk won with a par on the third playoff hole.
A Saturday-Night Fix Holds Up Under Pressure
Fisk said he spent about 45 minutes on the practice green Saturday evening after struggling to start short putts on his intended line. The adjustment was modest, including lighter grip pressure, but the consequences were substantial.
Pendrith had the first clean chance to end the playoff, sending a 9-foot birdie putt 4 feet past on the opening extra hole before recovering for par. On the second trip down No. 18, Fisk went from one bunker to another, then blasted to 3 feet and saved par.
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By the third playoff hole, the contrast was clear. Pendrith’s tee shot finished in the right fairway bunker. Fisk found the center of the fairway and forced Pendrith to produce a recovery he could not complete.
Fisk acknowledged that he felt more nervous late in regulation than he did once the playoff began. By then, the worst possible outcome was second place, and the assignment had narrowed to beating one player.
“There’s not really a whole lot to lose,” Fisk said. “You’re just going out there trying to win and it’s either going to be you or the other guy. I think that’s almost calming in a way.”
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The Decisive Stretch
How the three-hole playoff unfolded
Playoff Hole 1
Pendrith ran a 9-foot birdie attempt 4 feet past. Both players escaped with par.
Playoff Hole 2
Fisk went from bunker to bunker, then blasted to 3 feet and saved par.
Playoff Hole 3
Fisk found the fairway and two-putted from 28 feet. Pendrith missed a 10-foot par putt after finding a bunker.
Pendrith Finds Momentum in a Difficult Season
Steven Fisk drives the ball off the 9th tee for the final round of the ISCO Golf Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club. July 12, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
Pendrith’s defeat came after his strongest Sunday of the week and one of his most encouraging performances of the season.
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He drove into the water on the opening hole, then answered with birdies at Nos. 2 and 3. He stayed within reach through the back nine, hit a 6-iron to a few feet at the 17th and birdied to post 16 under. Fisk matched him from the penultimate pairing.
Pendrith said he has struggled with his putter and with producing results this year, even as other parts of his game have shown progress. That made the missed opportunities in the playoff sting, but it also gave the 35-year-old Canadian evidence that his game is moving in the right direction.
“It sucks to finish second and be so close, but felt like overall it was a really good week for me and some good momentum moving into the end of the year,” Pendrith said.
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Ben Silverman closed with a 66 and shared third with Aaron Wise at 15 under. Silverman called it his best finish of the season and said it arrived at an important point with limited summer starts remaining. Lucas Glover, who held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds, shot 71 and tied for fifth at 14 under with Davis Chatfield and Kristoffer Ventura.
A Second Win Carries Different Weight
Steven Fisk, left, and his caddie shack hands on the 18th green for the ISCO Golf Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club. July 12, 2026. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
What the Win Changes
The value of Fisk’s second PGA Tour title
2
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Career PGA Tour victories
300
FedExCup points earned
$720K
Winner’s payout
2027 Championship Access
The Players Championship and PGA Championship
Tour Security
PGA Tour membership extended through 2028
One remaining target: The opposite-field victory does not include a Masters invitation.
Fisk’s first PGA Tour victory came last October at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He was a rookie then, and even he admitted the breakthrough felt sudden.
“At times in my mind, yeah,” Fisk said when asked whether the first victory needed validation. “I kind of felt like Sanderson came out of nowhere last fall.”
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One victory can change a schedule and secure a player’s status. A second changes the conversation. Fisk is no longer a player trying to prove he can reproduce one exceptional week. He is a two-time winner who has now closed tournaments in different ways and under different forms of pressure.
The ISCO victory delivered 300 FedExCup points and $720,000 from the $4 million purse. It also extended Fisk’s PGA Tour membership through 2028 and secured places in the 2027 Players Championship and PGA Championship. The opposite-field victory does not come with a Masters invitation, leaving that major as another target.
Fisk said the 300 points were more than he had earned during the rest of his season combined. With the FedExCup Playoffs now within reach, the second win did more than confirm the first. It changed the remaining possibilities in 2026.
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His first victory ended in a rush because Fisk had to fly to Raleigh for Greyson Murray’s charity event the next morning. This time, he moved his flight and planned to stay with his wife, caddie and the people who had carried the weight of a frustrating season with him.
“Going to hang out with my people and have a good time,” Fisk said.
After spending months trying to back up the first win, Fisk had finally earned an evening with no need to hurry.
PGA of America Golf Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer who serves as Athlon Sports Senior Golf Writer. Read his recent “The Starter” on R.org, where he is their Lead Golf Writer. To stay updated on all of his latest work, sign up for his newsletter or visit his MuckRack Profile.
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Related: Aaron Wise Is One Shot Back, but His Greatest Comeback Already Happened
Related: Lucas Glover Keeps Rolling as Four Players Share ISCO Championship Lead
Related: PGA Tour Splits Into Two Very Different Pressure Tests Before The Open
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the Golf section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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