LA QUINTA, Calif. — Sepp Straka gained The American Categorical by two pictures over Justin Thomas on Sunday, ending his third profession PGA Tour victory at 25-under 263 with a final-round 70.
Straka, the primary Austrian to win on the tour three years in the past, comfortably marched to victory after taking a four-shot lead into the ultimate spherical on the Coachella Valley event. He did not have a bogey within the four-day occasion till making two within the ultimate three holes, however his rivals could not mount a cost to make it uncomfortable.
The 31-year-old Straka seemed cool and picked up on PGA West’s Stadium Course — however he wasn’t.
“Nerves, simply full nerves,” Straka stated. “Abdomen in a knot, the entire 9. So, yeah, simply actually enthusiastic about the way in which I dealt with the stress as we speak.”
Thomas shot a 66 to complete at 23 below, one shot forward of Justin Decrease (69) and Australia’s Jason Day (69) in third. Decrease matched one of the best end of his tour profession.
Patrick Cantlay and Charley Hoffman had been 20 below.
Hitting greens frequently and placing capably, Straka was three holes from changing into the primary tour participant since 2022 to play 72 bogey-free holes in a victory — till he sprayed his second shot on the sixteenth into the far proper tough behind a berm. His third shot did not attain the inexperienced, and he barely missed a 17-foot par putt.
Straka’s first main mistake made no distinction, nor did his subsequent: He put his strategy shot right into a bunker on the 18th after which missed a 23-foot par putt, however he buried his 4-foot bogey putt and celebrated with a minimal fist pump.
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“This golf course, you may’t actually let up,” Straka stated. “You have nonetheless acquired to make actually aggressive swings, since you’re one swing away from a double bogey. I believe that was the most important problem as we speak was protecting aggressive on my targets.”
Thomas, who completed in a third-place tie at The American Categorical final yr, made six birdies on his first 11 holes within the ultimate spherical to briefly trim Straka’s result in three pictures. The 2-time PGA Championship winner ran out of steam on the again 9 in his quest for his first tour victory since 2022, ending his spherical with seven consecutive pars.
“I had an opportunity,” Thomas stated. “It wasn’t, clearly, a terrific one on the again 9, however I used to be pleased with myself. I did what I wanted to do on the entrance 9 as we speak to a minimum of be making some noise and shifting up the leaderboard. It was unlucky to type of stall there after 11. Actually, actually performed some nice golf as we speak.”
Day, one other former PGA Championship winner, has only one victory since 2018. He did not mount a cost whereas taking part in within the ultimate group with Straka, and a bogey on the fifteenth pushed him out of vary. Day shot 69.
Hoffman additionally was within the ultimate group, and he joined Thomas and Day at three pictures again earlier than he put two tee pictures into the water on the par-3 thirteenth, ultimately posting a triple bogey.
Straka started Sunday within the lead heading right into a ultimate spherical for the primary time in his profession. He performed with confidence early, burying a 12-foot birdie putt on the opening gap. He put his tee shot on the fourth gap inside 13 toes for one more birdie, and he added one other with an distinctive strategy shot on the seventh.
Straka additionally saved par on No. 5 after placing his drive within the tough, and he did it once more on No. 8 after his tee shot dropped in the correct bunker.
Thomas started his spherical with back-to-back birdies, and he added one other on the fifth earlier than starting his cost in earnest with three birdies in 4 holes across the flip, barely lacking a 34-foot eagle putt on the eighth earlier than burying a 16-foot birdie putt on the ninth.
However Straka boosted his lead again to 4 strokes with a birdie on No. 13 after dropping his tee shot inside 8 toes.
Defending champion Nick Dunlap shot a 68 to tie for thirty fourth on the occasion the place he grew to become the primary newbie to win on tour in 33 years.
Sony Open champion Nick Taylor continued his sturdy begin to the season with a 67 to complete in a six-way tie for twelfth.
