Palm Beach Gardens, Florida – Two days after Joe Highsmith made a nervous nerve to make the cut, won the cognizant classic with the lowest weekend in PGA National and will go to the masters.
Highsmith recovered from a four -shoot deficit on Sunday with three consecutive Birdies around the shift and A 20 -foot putt birdie in torque 3 17 that closed it almostgiving him another 6-down 64 to win his first PGA Tour title with two shots.
“Winning was the last in my mind,” said Highsmith. “It’s amazing to go on top. I probably played the best round of my life. “
Highsmith had a little help from Jake Knapp, who opened the tournament with a 59 and kept it together until a shot in the water and two more to leave.
Knapp, trying to become the first wonor of cable to cable in the history of the tournament, had a single shot when his wedge at 11 fell short and in the water, with only half of the submerged golf ball. He tried to fly and dripped the slope and returned to the water. He tried again, this time the ball holding raw.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t hit any of them strong enough,” Knapp said.
He got up with a triple ghost and never updated. Knapp did not make another Birdie the rest of the way, closed with a 72 and tied in the sixth along with Michael Kim (71), who played with him in the final group.
Jacob Bridgeman closed with a 64 and JJ Spaun had a 66 to share second place.
“I was trying to do as many birdies as I could,” Bridgeman said. “I knew I had to do something extraordinary today to catch the leaders, and caught them, but they are only in the ninth hole.”
Its finalist was enough to take him to Arnold Palmer Invitational next week.
Highsmith, a 24 -year -old left -handed with a bucket hat and a wide smile, became the first player to make the cut in the number and win from Brandt Snedaker in Torrey Pines in 2016.
With so many players in the mixture entering the final round, it was created as a wild end, and five players had at least part of the leadership in a moment.
Highsmith eliminated the drama in the last hour with an impeccable round and an unforgettable weekend that played in 14 bass 128. His great career began with a wedge at 3 feet in No. 9.
He added a 15 -foot putt Birdie in 13 to take control, and then sealed it with his putt Birdie on the slope on 17.
Highsmith was all smiles at Green 18 with his Caddy Joe Lacava IV, the son of the caddie who was in the bag for Fred Couple Masters champions in 1992 and Tiger Woods in 2019, and now works for Patrick Cantlay.
Highsmith is the second winner for the first time in so many weeks, following Brian Campbell winning the Mexican Open. It ended at 19 under 265 and collected many advantages. In addition to winning a place in the Masters and PGA championship, Highsmith is in the remaining five exclusive events, starting next week in Bay Hill.
Jordan Spieth had four birdies in a five -hole stretch around the turn to reach the periphery of the contest, only to play the last six holes in 1 in 1 for a 68 to tie for ninth place, his second top 10 in four openings since he returned from doll surgery last August.
Florida State Junior Luke Clanton, who secured a PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University program when cutting, triggered 69 and tied in 18º.
Highsmith fired the 72 lowest hole score since the tournament moved to PGA National, who has had two PGA championships and an Ryder Cup, in 2007. The course was supervised, which makes the rough less discouraging and the softest streets.
“I understand that the supervision was there and the wind was low, but it is still a stressful golf course, and this was one of the best golf I have seen in relation to what I would have thought that it would have happened in a golf course in quite some time,” said Spieth. “It’s crazy, good golf.”
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