Patrick Cantlay clinches Zozo Championship title
Cantlay stages a back nine charge to speed past Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas and claim a one-shot win.
Published : Oct 26, 2020 09:42 IST
American Patrick Cantlay staged a back nine charge to speed past World No. 2 Jon Rahm and No. 3 Justin Thomas to claim a one shot win at the Zozo Championship in Thousand Oaks, California on Sunday.
Cantlay, who began the day three back of overnight leader Thomas, carded a final round seven-under 67 at the Sherwood Country Club to top the leaderboard and collect his third career PGA Tour title with a winning total of 23-under 265.
The 28-year-old’s round included a career-high nine birdies, four of those coming over a five hole stretch from the 11th on the back nine.
Cantlay finished the week with just two bogeys, both of those coming during the final round, including one at the 16th that cut his advantage to a single stroke and opened the door for Rahm to force a playoff if he could birdie the final hole.
The Spaniard gave himself a chance for extra holes but grimaced as his 19-foot birdie attempt stopped just short of the cup. He had to settle for a three-under 69 and finish in a tie for second with Thomas, who birdied the 18th for a four-under 68.
Tiger Woods, back in action for the first time since missing the cut at the US Open, closed out a frustrating week with a final round two-over 74.
Woods had arrived at one of his favourite venues as the defending Zozo champion but was never in contention after an opening round 76. Chasing a record 83rd PGA Tour win, he finished near the bottom of the leaderboard, 22 shots behind the winner.
“The only thing I can take out of this week that I did positively I feel like each and every day and pretty much every hole is I putted well,” said Woods. “I feel like I rolled it great.
“Unfortunately ... most of them were for pars and a couple for bogeys here and there, but not enough for birdies.”
Woods' playing partner Phil Mickelson had an even more horrific finish, returning a final round six-over 78 that included three double-bogeys and left him one spot clear of last on the leaderboard.
McGowan wins 1st title on European Tour in 11 years English golfer Ross McGowan holed a bunker shot at No. 16 and rolled in a birdie at the last hole to earn a one-stroke victory at the Italian Open on Sunday, securing his first title on the European Tour in 11 years. McGowan struggled to keep his emotions in check after the final round, after seeing playing partner Laurie Canter miss his own birdie putt on the 18th that would have forced a playoff. "My head is going full blast at the moment," McGowan said. "I got the ball in the hole which in the past has been my nemesis, so it was nice to be able to do that this week. "When I hit the bunker shot on 16, that came exactly how I saw it." McGowan, whose only other European Tour victory was at the Madrid Masters in 2009, shot 1-under 71 to finish on 20 under overall. With inputs from AP |