Lashley goes wire-to-wire
Nate Lashley completed an unlikely wire-to-wire victory in the Rocket Mortgage Classic for his first PGA Tour title.
Lashley closed with a 2-under-par 70 to finish at 25-under 263 and win by six strokes — the margin he started the day with.
Lashley’s parents and girlfriend were killed in a plane crash 15 years ago. He dabbled in real estate after graduating from the University of Arizona, quit playing professional golf several years ago and resumed playing in the PGA Tour’s minor leagues.
“Without my parents, I wouldn’t have started playing golf when I was little,” said Lashley, 36, who began playing when he was 8. “They did everything to help me have a career.”
Monday qualifier Doc Redman shot a 67 to finish second. Rory Sabbatini (68) and Wes Roach (68) were another stroke back.
Lashley, the 353rd ranked player in the world, slipped into PGA Tour’s first event at Detroit Golf Club as an alternate Wednesday.
The Nebraskan took full advantage, shooting a career-low 63 in the first round to take a lead he refused to lose. Lashley stayed atop the leader board with a 67 on Friday and gave himself a cushion with another 9-under 63 Saturday.
Lashley had two bogeys on the front nine — one more than he had the previous three rounds — and coasted to victory on the back with two birdies and no bogeys.
In other news:
• Sung Hyun Park two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th hole to win the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship for her second LPGA Tour victory of the season and seventh overall. Park, 25, is projected to move from second to first in the world ranking Monday. She will take the top spot from friend Jin Young Ko, the fellow South Korean player who poured water over Park’s head on the 18th green. Park closed with a 5-under 66 to finish at 18-under 195 at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Ark. She tapped in a putt not much more than a foot on the 18th to beat Danielle Kang, Hyo Joo Kim and Inbee Park by a stroke. Kang, Kim and Inbee Park each shot 65, with Kang playing the final five holes in 5 under with an eagle on the par-5 14th and birdies on the last three.