Matthew Wolff wins 3M Open in just third start since turning professional
Monday 8 July 2019 00:15, UK
Matthew Wolff produced a spectacular finish to snatch victory at the 3M Open in just his third PGA Tour start since turning professional.
Wolff rolled in a big eagle putt on the final green to edge out Bryson DeChambeau and playing-partner Collin Morikawa by one shot at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota, his grandstand finale capping a six-under 65 and a winning score of 21 under par.
A play-off looked a near-certainty when DeChambeau, playing in the penultimate pairing, knocked a sublime six-iron to six feet at the long last and rattled in the putt for eagle to claim the clubhouse lead.
But as he prepared for extra holes, Wolff and Morikawa both drilled perfect drives down the centre of the fairway and hit solid second shots to give themselves a chance to make three.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
Wolff then seized his chance as his aggressive 25-foot putt from the left fringe found the cup, and Morikawa's effort to extend the tournament drifted just left of the target as he settled for his career-best result.
Reigning NCAA champion Wolff, who made his PGA Tour debut in Phoenix before joining the professional ranks last month, can now look forward to a two-year exemption on Tour while also sealing a place at The Masters next year.
The 20-year-old with one of the most unorthodox swings in the game pulled clear of a congested leaderboard, with no fewer than six players tied for the lead at one point in the closing stages.
Both Wolff and Morikawa struggled for consistency over the front nine, but Morikawa then reeled off five birdies in six holes from the 11th while Wolff picked up shots at the 10th, 14th and 15th as the pair were locked together at the top.
DeChambeau then snatched the advantage when he bounced back from bogeys at seven and nine with three birdies after the turn, and his eagle at the last piled the pressure on the inexperienced final pair.
But DeChambeau's joy was short-lived as Wolff's closing eagle completed an inward 31 and earned him a handsome cheque for $1,152,000 - just the second payday of his fledgling career.
Morikawa tapped in for his sixth birdie of the inward half to card a 66 and finish as joint-runner up, while Adam Hadwin was two strokes further back in outright fourth after returning a solid 67.
Carlos Ortiz had earlier held the clubhouse lead for some time after he fired a seven-birdie 64 to post a challenging score of 17 under, and the Mexican would end up in a share of fifth with Wyndham Clark, who was 18 under with six to play before his game deserted him down the stretch.
Live PGA Tour Golf
