Washington (United States) (AFP) – Michael Brennan fired a six-under par 64 to win the Wyndham Championship on Sunday, taking his second PGA Tour title in the final regular-season event before the FedEx Cup playoffs. The 24-year-old American closed with a 13-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to finish on 22-under 258 and defeat compatriot Beau Hossler by three strokes. Brennan, whose other PGA title came last October at the Bank of Utah Championship on a sponsor’s exemption, took home $1.53 million from the $8.5 million purse on offer at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Brennan reeled off five birdies in a row Sunday to seize command, a run that began with an eight-foot birdie putt at the fourth hole and included a birdie at the par-three seventh where he missed an ace by six inches. He made bogey at 11 after a tee shot into the right rough but sank a testy five-foot par putt at the par-three 12th and answered with an eight-foot birdie putt at 13. “I did it great for nine holes,” Brennan said. “I felt really good on the front nine, just playing my game. I was really staying within myself, hitting good shots. I felt like I was really in control. Got a little nervous around 10, 11. I made a nice par putt on 12 and that steadied me a little bit going through and just glad to make a few putts coming in.”
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Hossler birdied 16 and 17 to pull within two shots on the final tee, setting the stage for Brennan’s clinching birdie.
– ‘Running on fumes’ –
Brennan began the week 105th in the season points rankings with only the top 70 after this week advancing to the playoffs. The victory lifted Brennan to 47th in the points and a berth in the postseason showdown. “I don’t want to be done playing golf,” Brennan said. “I feel like I played the best golf I have all year the last couple weeks. This is my sixth week in a row. Seven is a lot but I think I’m going to be perfectly happy running on fumes next week.” The playoff field will be trimmed from 70 to 50 players after next week’s event in Memphis.
Hossler shot 67 to take second by one stroke over fellow American Ben James, who had a closing 61. Hossler jumped 50 places in the points race but missed out on the playoffs, finishing 72nd. “Disappointed but very proud of how I fought on the back nine, particularly at the end,” Hossler said. “Stings a little bit but very proud of my commitment. Pretty valiant effort.”
Jackson Koivun, a 21-year-old American who turned professional last month and won the 3M Open two weeks ago, started and finished the week 70th on the list to capture the final playoff spot. Brennan was the only golfer who began the week out of the playoffs and charged into the postseason at the last event.
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