Frittelli holds off Henley for first PGA Tour victory
While the rest of the leaders faltered, Dylan Frittelli surged to his first PGA Tour title.
Frittelli won the John Deere Classic on Sunday, closing with a 7-under 64 for a twostroke victory in Silvis, Illinois, over Russell Henley. The South African earned a spot next week in the British Open, finishing at 21-under 263 after the bogey-free final round at TPC Deere Run.
One of eight players within two strokes of the lead entering the lead, Frittelli was looking forward to the tournament’s charter flight to Royal Portrush.
“I’m sure it’s going to be a fun flight,” Frittelli said.
A two-time winner on the European Tour, Frittelli birdied the par-5 17th after blasting out of a greenside bunker to 11 feet, and closed with a par on the par-4 18th.
Frittelli had tied for 46th in each of his last two starts.
“I don’t want to say it was easy out there. It just felt a whole lot easier than it has been the last few weeks,” Frittelli said. “I calmed my nerves down.”
Henley shot a tournament-best 61. Andrew Landry, who opened Sunday in a two-way tie for the lead, was 18 under after a 69.
Rookie Collin Morikawa (66), the runnerup last week in Minnesota, and Chris Stroud (67) followed at 17 under. Morikawa hit all 18 greens in regulation.
Henley’s careerlow effort included six birdies on the back nine, capped by one on No. 18 — the same hole he double-bogeyed Friday. Henley made six putts of at least 7 feet, including 26- and 46-footers.
But Henley, who finished well before Fritteli hit the turn, could only watch from the clubhouse as Frittelli surpassed him and everyone else in the field.
Frittelli, who opened with rounds of 66, 68 and 65, started the final round with three straight birdies. He matched Henley with a chip-in on No. 10 and took the lead for good with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 11th hole.
Frittelli, who made the winning putt for the University of Texas in the 2012 NCAA Tournament, became the second player from that Longhorns team to win at TPC Deere Run. Jordan Spieth won in 2013 and 2015.
EUROPEAN TOUR:
Bernd Wiesberger beat Benjamin Hebert on the third playoff hole at the Scottish Open on Sunday for his sixth European Tour title in North Berwick, Scotland. Hebert shot 62 to set the clubhouse target on 22 under at The Renaissance Club but overnight leader Wiesberger (69) recovered from a slow start to reclaim top spot with his fourth birdie of the day on the 16th, only to bogey the 17th and then hole from five feet on the last to force a playoff.
LPGA TOUR: Sei Young Kim won the Marathon Classic for her second LPGA Tour victory of the season, making five straight birdies in a midround burst and shooting a 6-under 65 for a twostroke victory over Lexi Thompson in Sylvania, Ohio.
Kim began the birdie run on No. 7 and finished at a tournament-record 22-under 262 at Highland Meadows Golf Club. The 26-year-old South Korean player has nine tour titles, also winning the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship in May in California.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS: Retief Goosen birdied the final two holes to win the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship at Firestone Country Club for his first PGA Tour Champions title in Akron. The 50-year-old Hall of Famer from South Africa broke a tie for the lead with a 15-foot putt on the par-4 17th and made a 10-footer on the par-4 18th for a 2-under 68 and a two-stroke victory over 65-year-old Jay Haas and Tim Petrovic.