Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2019 - 22

Eagle Eclipses 3M Open Field for
Matthew Wolff and First PGA Tour Victory.
* BY NICK HUNTER AND JOSEPH OBERLE *
* PHOTOS BY MARK BRETTINGEN *
O
rganizers refashioned the 18th hole at the TPC
Twin Cities to afford fi nal-round fi reworks for
the inaugural 3M Open tournament, and they
did not disappoint.
From the 18th hole fairway Sunday, Matthew Wolff watched
as Bryson DeChambeau-a PGA Tour veteran with fi ve wins
under his belt-sank his eagle putt in the waning moments of
the championship, taking a one-stroke lead to the clubhouse at
20-under par 264. With his second shot at the par-5 18th hole
resting on the fringe 26 feet away, Wolff-the 2019 NCAA DI
national champ and PGA Tour rookie-sank his own eagle
putt, joining Tiger Woods and Ben Crenshaw as the only golfers
to win an NCAA individual title and PGA Tour event in the
same season.
" A lot of my putts weren't going in today, so I was telling
myself that one is bound to drop, " Wolff said of his putt at No.
18. " I was really nervous; I was shaking a little bit once I was
behind the putt, but I took a couple of deep breaths and that
settled me down. "
Wolff became the fi rst player since Billy Hurley III in 2016 to
win on a sponsor's exemption, joking afterward that he'll have
job security as a 20-year-old. He also earns a PGA Tour card
for the next two seasons (beginning in 2020),
a spot in the next Masters and PGA
Championship, and spots in the
Sentry Tournament of Champions,
the Players Championship,
the
Arnold Palmer Invitational and the
Memorial Invitational.
Rising to the Top
Wolff opened the championship
with a round of 69 Thursday, seven
shots behind fi rst-round leader
Scott Piercy, who blistered the
Blaine course with a bogeyfree
9-under 62, setting a
course record. On Friday, it
was DeChambeau's turn to
tie the course record with
his own 62, which was good
for a two-stroke lead over
Adam Hadwin-who was sitting
at 130-and four others including Piercy,
tied in third place at 132. Wolff, who initiates
every swing with an idiosyncratic
hitch, was clearly back in the pack after a
4-under 67 (136).
22
MINNESOTAGOLFER Fall 2019
3M
Yet, on Saturday, it was Wolff's turn at 62, moving up the
leaderboard to claim a share of the lead with Collin Morikawa
and DeChambeau at 15-under par 198.
Getting started quickly Sunday, Wolff nearly holed his
approach at the par-4 second hole, leaving a tap-in birdie
before rolling in another short putt at the fi fth hole to move to
17-under for the championship.
Though he took a step back with a three-putt bogey at the
ninth hole, Wolff quickly rebounded, sinking a 12-footer for
birdie at the 10th hole. With six players tied on top of the leaderboard
at one point late Sunday, Wolff began to pull ahead with
back-to-back birdies at No. 14 and No. 15. Then Morikawa,
who carded six birdies over his fi rst seven holes of the fi nal nine
Sunday, moved into a share of the lead with Wolff when his
birdie dropped at the 16th hole.
DeChambeau provided late-round excitement with his eagle
putt from just over six feet, taking a one-stroke lead before
Wolff took aim and left his second left of the putting surface.
After Wolff made eagle, Morikawa had an eagle attempt from
22 feet, but settled for a tap-in birdie to fi nish tied for second
with DeChambeau at 20-under par 264.
Realizing the Dream
" I don't think it's really settled in yet, " Wolff said during his
post-round press conference. " It's life-changing. You've
seen it all before the last couple of weeks-fi rst time
winners and stuff. It's something I've always dreamed
of as a kid growing up. I've been told so many times
that I was born for moments like these; I live for
moments like these. It doesn't get better than this. "
Sunday's fi nish was another impressive performance
for 22-year-old Morikawa, who has made
the cut in each of his fi rst four starts this season,
including his runner-up fi nish Sunday.
Bogeying two of his fi rst three holes
Sunday, Morikawa quickly fell three
shots off the lead after the third hole.
Things didn't end there though; he
battled back by carding seven birdies
over his fi nal 12 holes, nearly making
an eighth at No. 17 as his ball rolled
around the lip and refused to fall.
Leaving himself with a short birdie
on the fi nal hole, Morikawa claimed
the best fi nish of his young career and
his second top-15 fi nish of the season.
" I came in with the mindset [that]
there's nothing to lose, " Morikawa said
MATTHEW WOLFF
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Fall 2019

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