Conners at the double in Texas
• Canadian’s only other win on Tour came in 2019 edition of same event
Corey Conners shot a bogeyfree, four-under 68 to win the Valero Texas Open for the second time on Sunday at TPC San Antonio.
The Canadian ’ s only other win on the PGA Tour came at the 2019 edition of the event.
Conners finished at 15-under 273 to edge a late-charging Sam Stevens by one shot. Matt Kuchar and Sam Ryder tied for third at 13-under 275.
“I was really solid all day,” Conners said . “It was a battle out here for sure. The conditions were not easy. Struck the ball really well, gave myself a lot of looks and kept things under control. I can’t believe I got my second win here.”
Stevens drove the green at the short par-four 17th hole and sank a nine-foot eagle putt to shoot up to 14 under for the tournament. He had a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-five 18th that would have tied Conners at 15 under with the leader a hole behind him, but it broke just too much at the end.
Conners put together a messy par at 18 to hang on. After missing the green left on his second shot, he chunked his third on to the green and made a difficult two-putt from 28½ feet.
Conners began the day one stroke back of 54-hole leader Patrick Rodgers and holed birdies at the par-five second, par-four sixth and par-four ninth holes. The last of those came from 18 feet away. Conners’ birdie at the par-four 15th, another 18-footer, wound up providing the margin of victory.
Meanwhile, Rodgers made two birdies and four bogeys on his front nine to find himself four shots behind Conners — after holding a four-shot lead on the field during Saturday’s round.
Rodgers had another bogey before making two late birdies to salvage a 73 and finish fifth at 11under 277. He would have secured an invitation to this week’s Masters had he won the Texas Open.
“Disappointing day, but great experience, great to be in that environment,” Rodgers said.
Stevens, a 26-year-old PGA Tour rookie, shot a six-under 66 featuring two eagles to leap into second. He sank a 15-foot eagle putt at the par-five eighth before his late push at 17 shortened Conners’ three-shot edge.
“[At 17] I was pretty calm, pretty at peace,” Stevens said.
“I knew I had to do something pretty cool on the last couple holes, kind of freed me up to make a good swing, hit a good shot. It worked out perfectly. You’re just trying to get it up there somewhere around the green, maybe chip it in, try and make a birdie, but worked out great.”
Kuchar birdied the last three holes and four of his last five to card a 69 and earn his first topfive finish in an official event since the 2022 RBC Heritage 12 months ago. Kuchar also tied for second at the Texas Open in 2022 and came up just shy of winning it for the first time.
Ryder had seven birdies and just one bogey for a 66.
Chez Reavie matched Peter Malnati for the round of the day with a seven-under 65, placing Reavie in a tie for sixth at 10 under with Lee Hodges and South Korea’s Byeong Hun An.