Ryder Cup captain's pick Justin Thomas dropped out of contention during final round as he made four bogeys in front nine; Sahith Theegala said of his maiden PGA Tour win: "It's not just a win for me, it's a win for the whole family."
Monday 18 September 2023 16:36, UK
Sahith Theegala claimed his first PGA Tour victory at the Fortinet Championship as Justin Thomas' bid for a morale-boosting victory fell flat in the final round.
Theegala, having started the final round at Napa, California, with a two-stroke lead, picked up three shots in his first five holes as he mixed seven birdies and three bogeys in a closing 68.
South Korea's SH Kim matched that to finish two strokes back in second with Australia's Cam Davis two shots further adrift in third.
Ryder Cup captain's pick Thomas, who started the day tied for second in search of a first win in a torrid year, dropped out of contention as he made four bogeys in the front nine.
An eagle three on the 12th helped him claw his round back to a level par 72 as he finished six shots back in fifth place.
His Ryder Cup colleague Max Homa, the winner for the last two years, was two shots further back after a closing 69 alongside England's Callum Tarren.
"No matter the good golf or the bad golf, they just have my back. It's a team win," Theegala said, with his mother and father by his side on the 18th green.
"It's not just a win for me, it's a win for the whole family. To be able to share this moment with all of them is really special and something I'll never forget.
"Through the highs and lows this week they're cheering me on and supporting me. They've been that way since I've started my pro career. It's awesome just hearing the chants every single hole and it definitely gave me a lot of energy.
"That's been the strength of my game for so long [following bogeys with strong shot-making]. I have a pretty short memory on and off the golf course. It works out well in golf. This week I just felt so relaxed and felt like my game was in a really good place."
Live coverage from the opening day of the Ryder Cup begins on Friday September 29 from 6am on Sky Sports Golf, while live programming begins on Monday September 25. Stream the PGA Tour, DP Tour, Ryder Cup and more with NOW.
