Snedeker hangs on for victory
Jumps to 30th in FedExCup standings
Brandt Snedeker was pretty much always in front at the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, and he managed to close it out.
The 37-year-old fired a 5-underpar 65 in the final round Sunday to post a 21-under total and earn a threeshot, wire-to-wire win. This is his ninth PGA Tour title and his second at this event, the site of his first Tour title in 2007. With the victory, Snedeker rockets from 80th to 30th in the FedExCup standings.
Asked by CBS’ Amanda Balionis after the round whether he is peaking at the right time, Snedeker said, “Pretty hard not to think that. I just shot 59 on Thursday and won the tournament. I’m kind of one of those players who gets on hot streaks and runs them while they can, so hopefully I can keep doing that.”
He later said about his mental strength, “(I’m) a lot stronger than I thought I was. I still got a lot of great golf in me and I’m excited about the FedEx Cup Playoffs. I’ve done this before, I’ve won that thing. I can’t wait to try to make a run at Atlanta and try to win the FedExCup Playoffs, because I’m playing great.”
Snedeker had to fight hard for this one. He fell into a tie for the lead with C.T. Pan and Webb Simpson at 19 under late in the round. Simpson then bogeyed the 18th to fall back.
But Pan birdied the par-5 15th to take the solo lead at 20 under. Sne- deker responded with an up and down for birdie at the 15th to regain a share.
Pan then flared his closing drive far right, with the ball ending up out of bounds. It led to a double bogey, and Snedeker birdied the 18th.
Snedeker began the week with a bogey but played his next 17 holes in 12 under to fire an opening 59.
Pan and Simpson tied for second. Short shots: Nick Taylor closed with a clutch 63 to finish the week in a tie for eighth at 15 under. But that showing allowed him to jump from 129th to 119th in the FedExCup standings. The top 125 after the tournament made the Playoffs and earned or retained PGA Tour cards if not already secured. … Sergio Garcia finished with a disappointing 70 to drop to T-24 at 12 under. That fall pushed him from projected inside the top 125 to
128th in the standings. His PGA Tour card is secure for a while thanks to his
2017 Masters title, but that 128th finish means he misses the FedExCup Playoffs. … Sam Saunders keeps his PGA Tour card. Arnold Palmer’s grandson finished T-45 at 8 under to stay 120th in the FedExCup standings. … Seamus Power, who started the week at No. 123, missed the cut but only dropped to No. 125. That means he sneaks by to keep his PGA Tour card. … On the other side, Martin Piller missed the cut and fell from No. 124 to No. 126. That means he barely loses his PGA Tour card and must go to the Web.com Tour Finals and try to earn it back there. … David Hearn was in position to jump from No. 156 to inside the top 125 as he sat T-2 through
54 holes. But a final-round 70 relegated him to T-8 at 15 under. That only rose him to 138th.