Snedeker Opens With 59 And Closes With Victory In Greensboro; Taylor And Hearn Finish T8
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2018-08-20
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Brandt Snedeker won the Wyndham Championship for his ninth PGA Tour title, four days after opening with a 59.
Snedeker closed with a 5-under 65 for a three-stroke victory, breaking a tie with C.T. Pan on the final hole. Pan hit his tee shot out-of-bounds and made double bogey. Snedeker, playing in the group behind, made a 20-foot birdie.
Snedeker finished at 21-under 259 for his first win since 2016 and his second at the tournament, but first at Sedgefield Country Club.
Pan shot a 66 to tie for second with Webb Simpson (62).
Snedeker opened the tournament with the 59 that made him the first tour player this year and just the 10th ever to break 60, then on the final day played 29 holes at 5 under to seal it.
He was never in danger of missing the Fed Ex Cup playoffs for the first time in his career, but the victory gave him a huge jump on the points list. He climbed 50 spots to No. 30 on the list, after arriving at 80th — which would have been his lowest finish.
Severe weather led organizers to suspend the third round with 30 players still on the course and bring everybody back to Sedgefield, leaving Snedeker with 29 holes to play on the final day.
He wrapped up that round with a one-stroke lead at 16 under before heading back onto the course. Since the tournament moved here in 2008, every third-round leader who was that far under par has gone on to win.
The other subplot at Sedgefield was the last chance to finish in the top 125 and get into the FedEx Cup playoffs. With every player who was between Nos. 122-127 missing the cut, there figured to be plenty of movement near the bubble.
Sergio Garcia will miss the playoffs for the first time in his career after winding up 131st on the points list. Harris English and Nick Taylor played their way in.
When the sun set on the Wyndham Championship, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., and David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., were tied for eighth to become the top Canadians at the tournament.
With four consecutive birdies on the front-nine, an eagle on the 15th hole and a round closing birdie, Taylor fired a scorching 63 to finish the PGA regular season 119th in the FedEx Cup standings, qualifying for the FedEx Cup playoffs and earning full PGA status for next year.
Hearn also ended the tournament in a tie for eighth at 15 under after carding a 70 in the final round. He finishes short of the top-125 at No. 138.