Chris Kirk claimed his fourth PGA Tour victory, closing with a 4-under-par 66 to win by one stroke over Jordan Spieth, Brandt Snedeker and Jason Bohn in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
The 30-year-old Kirk, whose last victory came in the Deutsche Bank Championship during the PGA Tour playoffs in September, scrambled for a winning par on the final hole, where he sank a seven-foot putt.
After his playing partner, Snedeker, barely missed a 12-foot birdie putt, Kirk stepped up and holed the winner.
“My first three wins on Tour have all been little tap-ins on the last hole,” said Kirk, who missed the fairway with his drive on No. 18 before missing the green and wedging his third shot close enough for him to get up-and-down for the victory. “So to step up and make a putt that I knew was to win is something I’ll never forget.
“Close friends with Brandt, and play a lot of golf with him, and he doesn’t miss very many of those putts. Once he didn’t make it, then I was able to change my mindset.”
Snedeker, who claimed his seventh PGA Tour victory earlier this year in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, closed with a 67 but didn’t make any of his six birdies in the final round after the 11th hole and three-putted from 55 feet for a costly bogey at No. 13.
The second-ranked Spieth, the Masters champion who was seeking his third victory of the season, finished with a 65 that included a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole but lamented a three-putt bogey from 48 feet on the 16th hole.
Bohn, playing well ahead of the leaders, shot 63 in the final round but had his 28-foot birdie putt on the final hole lip out.
Pat Perez of San Diego closed with a bogey-free 64 and finished two shots back in a tie for fifth with Adam Hadwin (66) of Canada, Kevin Kisner (67), George McNeill (67) and Ian Poulter of England (70).
Kevin Na of Diamond Bar, who led much of the way after opening with a 64, managed only a 72 and wound up three strokes behind in a tie for 10th that included Charley Hoffman of Poway and UNLV, who came in with a 70.
