BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Matthew Wolff made a 26-foot putt from the fringe for an eagle on the final hole for a 6-under 65 to win the 3M Open on Sunday, beating Collin Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke in a tense finish to the first-time PGA Tour event.
The 20-year-old Wolff struck his second shot on the 573-yard, par-5 hole from the fairway to the far left of the green, where it landed just a few feet away from a bunker. He sank the dramatic putt in front of a packed 18th gallery at the TPC Twin Cities, before waiting to watch Morikawa just miss his eagle attempt from 22 feet.
When the ball rolled on the left edge and about 3 feet too long, Morikawa winced as Wolff hugged his caddie in celebration of the $1.152 million prize and his tour card just six weeks after winning the NCAA individual title with Oklahoma State.
Wolff joins Tiger Woods and Ben Crenshaw as the only players to win the NCAA title and a PGA Tour event in the same year.
"I'm really not an emotional guy, but tears came to my eyes," Wolff said.
He finished at 21-under 263.
DeChambeau, playing directly in front of Morikawa and Wolff, had just finished his up-and-down afternoon with an eagle to take the short-lived lead at 20 under. The lively crowd, which went five rows deep behind the ropes near the final green, roared when DeChambeau crushed his second shot 204 yards from the intermediate rough onto the green within 6 feet of the pin.
Playing in just his third tournament as a pro, all on sponsor exemptions, Wolff successfully fended off a steely finish by Morikawa, who also turned pro this summer after leaving Cal. The 22-year-old Morikawa, whose putt for birdie on the 17th hole barely horseshoed out, flashed Wolff a warm smile as the two embraced on the green.
LPGA TOUR
ONEIDA, Wis. (AP) — Shanshan Feng hit a 7-iron to 3 feet for a birdie on the final hole Sunday to close with a 9-under 63 and a one-shot victory over Ariya Jutanugarn in the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.
Feng won for the first time since November 2017.
The shootout everyone expected materialized on the Thornberry Creek at Oneida course, starting with Patty Tavatanakit shooting a 61 that got her into a five-way tie for the lead before the final two groups even teed off.
Jutanugarn had a three-shot lead on the back nine until a bogey on the par-5 15th and a strong finish from Feng, who had three birdies in a four-hole stretch. Jutanugarn hit her approach to 2 feet for birdie on the 18th for a 64 to catch Feng, until the 29-year-old from China delivered the winning shot.
Feng didn't realize the Thai had caught her until she walked onto the 18th green and saw the leaderboard.
"I thought I had it before I putt," Feng said. "I looked up at the leaderboard and was like, 'Oh, no, I have to make that one.' The last putt I was under a lot of pressure. But I've been doing really well this week, so just make another putt. That's what I did."
Feng finished at 29-under 259, two shots short of the LPGA record that Sei Young Kim set last year at Thornberry Creek.
Tiffany Joh birdied her last three holes for a 67 to tie for third with Amy Yang (65), her best finish on the LPGA Tour. Yealimi Noh, the 17-year-old Californian who had to Monday qualify for the event, shot 68 and tied for sixth.
EUROPEAN TOUR
LAHINCH, Ireland (AP) — Jon Rahm captured the Irish Open for the second time in three years by closing with an 8-under 62 to win by two shots Sunday.
It was the Spaniard's second victory of 2019, after winning the Zurich Classic team event on the PGA Tour with Ryan Palmer in April, and the fourth victory in two years on the European Tour.
Rahm tamed the Lahinch links in western Ireland by making an eagle and eight birdies, including one from 3 feet at No. 14 after an approach with a 5-iron from rough to the right of the fairway. He finished on 16-under 264.
Rafa Cabrera-Bello started the day a shot behind third-round leader Robert Rock but was in front by two strokes after making three birdies in his first five holes. He was soon passed by Rahm, and fell away with four bogeys in six holes to start the back nine.
Andy Sullivan and Bernd Wiesberger both shot 66 and tied for second place. Rock (70), Cabrera-Bello (69) and Eddie Pepperell (69) tied for fourth another shot back.
Rock, Wiesberger and Paul Waring all earned spots in the British Open for being the highest finishers in the top 10 among players who aren't otherwise exempt.
KORN FERRY TOUR
FINDLEY LAKE, N.Y. (AP) — Ryan Brehm lost a two-shot lead with a double bogey on the final hole, and then made an 8-foot birdie putt that swirled all the way around the cup on the first extra hole to beat Tim Wilkinson in a playoff and win the Lecom Health Challenge on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Brehm appeared to have it wrapped up with a two-shot lead playing the par-5 18th at the Peek'n Peak Resort. But his third shot came up well short and into a hazard, leading to double bogey and a 4-under 68.
Wilkinson missed a 20-foot birdie putt for the win on the 18th and shot 69. They finished at 20-under 268.
It was the fourth straight tournament decided by a playoff, setting a Korn Ferry Tour record. Brehm had the advantage with a second shot just right of the green, but his chip was hot and ran 8 feet past the hole. Wilkinson's 10-foot birdie putt caught the left edge, and Brehm made the winning putt, one hole later than he expected.
Brehm goes to No. 5 on the points list, all but assuring a return to the PGA Tour next year.
Chase Seiffert closed with four straight birdies for a 63 and tied for third with Blayne Barber (67) and Will Zalatoris (68).
OTHER TOURS
Ryo Ishikawa closed with a 4-under 66 and made eagle on the first playoff hole at the par-5 18th to win the Japan PGA Championship over Jung-Gon Hwang. It was Ishikawa's first victory on the Japan Golf Tour in nearly three years. ... Rhys Enoch closed with a 4-under 68 and won the D+D Real Slovakia Challenge by one shot over Josh Geary on the European Challenge Tour. ... Dawson Armstrong closed with a 5-under 66 for a one-shot victory over Anthony Maccaglia, Patrick Fishburn and Ryan Ruffels in the Windsor Championship on the Mackenzie Tour in Canada. ... Jose Coceres of Argentina captured his first Staysure Tour title with a 4-under 66 for a two-shot victory in the Swiss Seniors Open. Coceres, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, made two bogeys over 54 holes at Golf Club Bad Ragaz. ... Da Yeon Lee closed with a 7-under 65 for a six-shot victory in the Asiana Airlines Open on the Korean LPGA Tour. ... Shibuno Hinukaku shot 1-under 71 and won in a playoff at the Shiseido Anessa Ladies Open on the Japan LPGA Tour.