Austria’s Sepp Straka clinched his third PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory at The American Specific in California.
Heading into Sunday’s remaining spherical with a four-shot lead, Straka was in a position to maintain his nerve regardless of two late dropped photographs, carding a two-under 70 to see off the problem of runner-up Justin Thomas.
Straka, the primary Austrian to win on the tour three years in the past, completed the La Quinta, California match on 25-under, however admitted there have been main nerves after carding his bogeys of the four-day occasion on two of the ultimate three holes.
“Nerves, just complete nerves,” Straka mentioned. “Stomach in a knot, the whole nine. So, yeah, just really excited about the way I handed the pressure today.”
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Thomas shot a 66 to complete at 23-under, one shot forward of fellow American Justin Decrease (69) and Australia’s Jason Day (69) in third. Decrease matched one of the best end of his tour profession. Patrick Cantlay and Charley Hoffman had been 20 below.
Hitting greens frequently and placing capably, Straka was three holes away from changing into the primary tour participant since 2022 to play 72 bogey-free holes in a victory – till he sprayed his second shot on the sixteenth into the far proper tough behind a berm. His third shot did not attain the inexperienced, earlier than he barely missed a 17-foot par putt.
He then put his strategy shot right into a bunker on the 18th after which missed a 23-foot par putt, however buried his four-foot bogey putt and celebrated with a minimal fist pump.
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Straka’s solely bogeys of the match got here on two of the ultimate three holes
“This golf course, you can’t really let up,” Straka mentioned. “You’ve still got to make really aggressive swings, because you’re one swing away from a double bogey. I think that was the biggest challenge today was keeping aggressive on my targets.”
Thomas, who completed in a third-place tie at The American Specific final yr, made six birdies on his first 11 holes within the remaining spherical to briefly trim Straka’s result in three photographs.
The 2-time PGA Championship winner ran out of steam on the again 9 in his quest for his first tour victory since 2022, ending his spherical with seven consecutive pars.
“I had a chance,” Thomas mentioned. “It wasn’t, obviously, a great one on the back nine, but I was proud of myself. I did what I needed to do on the front nine today to at least be making some noise and moving up the leaderboard. It was unfortunate to kind of stall there after 11. Really, really played some great golf today.”
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Justin Thomas could not keep his surge on the again 9
Day, one other former PGA Championship winner, has only one victory since 2018. He did not mount a cost whereas enjoying within the remaining group with Straka, and a bogey on the fifteenth pushed him out of vary. Day shot 69.
Hoffman additionally was within the remaining group, and he joined Thomas and Day at three photographs again earlier than he put two tee photographs into the water on the par-three thirteenth, ultimately posting a triple bogey.
Straka started Sunday within the lead heading right into a remaining spherical for the primary time in his profession. He performed with confidence early, burying a 12-foot birdie putt on the opening gap. He put his tee shot on the fourth gap inside 13 toes for one more birdie, and he added one other with an distinctive strategy shot on the seventh.
Straka additionally saved par on the fifth after placing his drive within the tough, and he did it once more on the eighth after his tee shot dropped in the best bunker.
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Thomas started his spherical with back-to-back birdies, and he added one other on the fifth earlier than starting his cost in earnest with three birdies in 4 holes across the flip, barely lacking a 34-foot eagle putt on the eighth earlier than burying a 16-foot birdie putt on the ninth.
However Straka boosted his lead again to 4 strokes with a birdie on the thirteenth after dropping his tee shot inside eight toes.
Defending champion Nick Dunlap shot a 68 to tie for thirty fourth on the occasion the place he turned the primary novice to win on tour in 33 years.
Sony Open champion Nick Taylor continued his robust begin to the season with a 67 to complete in a six-way tie for twelfth.
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