(Memphis) The American Will Zalatoris, at the end of the suspense and the 3e hole, had the last word on Austrian Sepp Straka: winning the St. Jude Championship, counting for the FedEx Cup, the first title of his career on the North American PGA Tour.
Posted at 7:44 p.m.
Often placed, but never yet a winner in major tournaments, the 25-year-old Californian has finally overcome fate on the demanding course of Southwind, in Memphis (Tennessee).
“Having been so close, seeing my efforts pay off is impressive to me. Can’t wait to party tonight,” commented the 14e world player, after his second places at the Augusta International in 2021, but also at the PGA Championship and the United States Open this year.
Zalatoris, who turns 26 on Tuesday, joined Colombian Camilo Villegas in 2008 in the closed club of players whose first USPGA victory came in a FedEx Cup event.
After the first two holes of the end-of-season series on No. 18 where he and Straka painfully ensured par, they headed for No. 11.
Luck smiled on him when his ball, gone beyond the grass, bounced seven times on the stones of a low wall, to finally get stuck between two of them, instead of falling into the water.
Splash
The Austrian, on the other hand, made him “splash”, before sending his next shot into the bunker, then another quite far from the hole.
Zalatoris, who then had the margin, chose to take a penalty point to better hit an approach to the first drop point of his previous shot, then he ensured a putt which bogeyed, synonymous with victory.
At the same time, the American takes the lead in the FedEx Cup standings, of which the St. Jude Championship was the first part of the finals, bringing together the 125 best players of the regular season at the start.
Only the top 70 qualified on Sunday for the next phase, the BMW Championship scheduled for next week in Wilmington (Delaware), where the top 30 will then earn their ticket to the closing championship in Atlanta.
The winner of this final stage will pocket a check for 18 million dollars.
Ranking after 4e turn (by 70)
- Will Zalatoris (USA) -15 (71-63-65-66) (winner at 3e hole)
- Sepp Straka (Austria) -15 (64-66-68-67)
- Lucas Glover (USA) -12 (65-68-69-66)
- Brian Harman (USA) -12 (66-66-69-67)
- Tony Finau (USA) -11 (64-68-69-68)
- Matthew Fitzpatrick (England) -11 (68-66-67-68)
- Collin Morikawa (USA) -11 (67-69-66-67)
- Trey Mullinax (USA) -11 (66-67-66-70)
- Andrew Putnam (USA) -11 (66-68-67-68)
- Jon Rahm (Spain) -11 (67-69-67-66)