Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Chris Gotterup fired a six-under-par 64 to surge to victory in the PGA Tour’s season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii on Sunday. Gotterup, who started the final round at Honolulu’s windswept Waialae Country Club two shots off the pace, reeled off seven birdies and only one bogey to claim the third win of his career. The 26-year-old from Maryland finished on 16-under-par 264, two shots clear of compatriot Ryan Gerard, who carded a closing 65.
Gotterup’s win follows his victory at last year’s Scottish Open when he held off Rory McIlroy for a two-shot victory, an experience he said helped him on Sunday. “I felt like when I’ve been in control of my game, when I’ve had a chance to win, I’ve done it,” Gotterup said. “When you get in contention, you’re able to hit shots under the gun, you just believe in yourself that you can do it again. Sometimes there is blind luck involved, and I’ll take as much as I can get. I played pretty good this week.”
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Patrick Rodgers finished third on 13 under, three off the lead, while Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre was a shot back on 12 under alongside Jacob Bridgeman. MacIntyre was the day’s big mover, vaulting 16 places up the leaderboard after a bogey-free seven-under-par 63.
But there was disappointment for third-round leader Davis Riley, who fell out of contention despite a bright start that included two birdies in his opening five holes to get to 14-under. Riley’s challenge faltered after back-to-back bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes and a double-bogey on the eighth saw him card a 71 for a share of sixth on 11-under.
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