Pendrith’s putt put him over the top
Canadian edges Kohles to win CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Just as his beloved Maple Leafs did on Saturday night in Boston, Taylor Pendrith engaged in a tense battle with a lot on the line Sunday afternoon near Dallas.
Unlike the hockey club, the golfer came out on top.
Pendrith is Canada’s newest PGA Tour champion after the Richmond Hill native won a nail-biter at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. It was a triumph that looked both probable and doubtful at different times during the day, and in the end became a reality thanks to a shocking conclusion on the par-5 closing hole.
In front by one shot to begin the final round, Pendrith was passed by playing partner Ben Kohles on the eighth hole when the Canadian made a bogey to the hometown boy’s fourth birdie in five holes. Pendrith caught Kohles with a birdie of his own on the next hole and pulled into the lead again when he circled his score on the 12th. Pendrith kept that advantage for much of the back nine, but lost it for a second time when Kohles made back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th holes. Pendrith stayed in the game with a nervy par save on 17 and came to the final hole needing some magic or good fortune to hoist the trophy.
He got the latter. First, Kohles left a relatively simple pitch shot short of the green and in the rough near the edge of a bunker, which yielded an awkward stance. Then, the Dallas native missed a par putt from just over five feet. Reaching the green in two, the powerful Pendrith lagged his eagle putt from 38 feet to 35 inches and then sealed the deal after the gaffe from Kohles.
“I’ve never had a putt to win a PGA Tour event. My caddy said this is the straightest putt we’ve had all year and just knock it in, and it managed to slip the left edge,” Pendrith said during his post-tournament media availability. “It doesn’t feel real yet. It’s all been a blur the last hour … It’s something I’ve been working towards my whole career and to finally get it done feels unbelievable.”
This was Pendrith’s maiden PGA Tour victory and his first professional win in five years, dating back to 2019 when he was twice a champion on PGA Tour Canada.
“I’ve held the 54-hole lead before and haven’t got it done so I learned a lot from that and just tried to be a little better today and stay in my own lane and just put my head down and go to work and to come out on top feels unreal,” Pendrith shared.
While Pendrith was a wizard around the greens all week, it was his bread-and-butter driver that provided him the biggest advantage. Having battled injuries throughout his pro career, including a nagging shoulder injury the last two seasons, Pendrith admitted he has had trouble this season with the big stick. But a new driver shaft combined with better health helped him average 318.5 yards off the tee at TPC Craig Ranch to rank fourth in driving distance for the week.
“I felt super confident with the driver in my hand. I was swinging hard, my ball speed was what it used to be, all my distances were back to what I’m used to,” Pendrith said.
His victory gives Canada six current PGA Tour members with wins: Nick Taylor, Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Adam Hadwin, Adam Svensson and Pendrith
“We’re very close, everybody, all the Canadians on tour, for sure. Me and Mac played together at Kent State, with Corey as well,” Pendrith said. “I saw (Hughes) win his first one, so it was pretty special for him to be there (Sunday) with a beer waiting for me.”