Lee holds off Spieth, wins again at low-scoring Byron Nelson
MCKINNEY: KH Lee ran across the fairway to try to get a beter view of the key shot in his second consecutive victory in the Byron Nelson.
The South Korean must have known it would be close, same as the low-scoring drama around him that included hometown favorite Jordan Spieth and a couple of other major winners in Hideki Matsuyama and Justin Thomas.
Lee’s 240-yard shot on the par-5 12th hole stopped less than 5 feet from the pin, and the eagle put him in front for good Sunday on the way to a 9-under 63 and a one-shot victory over Spieth at birdie-besieged TPC Craig Ranch.
Spieth shot a 67 to finish a stroke ahead of Matsuyama (62) and Sebastián Muñoz (69), who held or shared the lead the first three rounds.
Xander Schauffele had a career-best 61 and tied for fith with Ryan Palmer (66) and Thomas (67), who was part of an eight-way tie for the lead at 20 under early in the final round.
A year ago, Lee was playing for a spot in the PGA Championship, where he’ll be again next week at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
This time it was for a place in history as the 30-year-old joined Sam Snead (1957-58), Jack Nicklaus (1970-71) and Tom Watson (1978-80) as the only repeat winners at the Nelson.
Lee’s career-best round overcame a four-shot deficit going into the final round and put him at 26 under, one shot beter than last year. Both of his PGA Tour wins have come at the Nelson.
“It still feels like I’m dreaming,” said Lee, a first-time winner as a father ater his wife was pregnant when he won last year. “Last year and this year, to make a good memory.”
Spieth had to setle for another career-best finish in the event he so badly wants to win, a year ater the three-time major champion was ninth but never really close in a disappointing final round. This final round was really close. Leading by one, Lee made a curling 12-foot put to save par on the par-3 17th ater a short chip ran long when Lee tried to find his footing in the sand with the ball above his feet just outside the bunker.
Spieth missed a 9-foot birdie put on 17 that would have pulled him even, then had to have eagle on the par-5 18th ater Lee’s tap-in birdie. Spieth’s eagle chip stayed let of the hole.
Ater two bogeys in the first three holes, Spieth had another with a three-put inside seven feet on 10, and the wait will continue 12 years ater his remarkable tour debut as a Sunday contender when he was a 16-year-old high schooler.