Matt Kuchar knows it’s not easy to win on the PGA Tour, but he remembered how to get it done.
The 40-year-old Kuchar claimed his eighth victory on the circuit, but first in four years, by closing with a 2-under-par 69 to hold off Danny Lee of New Zealand by one stroke in the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Mayakoba Golf Club http://www.mayakobagolf.com in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
“It feels extra sweet having kind of had to suffer through a year of not playing great in 2018,” said Kuchar, who made two late bogeys while blowing most of a four-stroke lead before sinking a three-footer for par on the last hole to win for the first time since the 2014 RBC Heritage. “Being four years removed since my last victory I realize how difficult it is to win on the PGA Tour.
“I certainly made it exciting coming in. It wasn’t the finish I was hoping for; I would have liked to have been able to five- or six-putt that final green. Winning out here is so difficult. The strength of field every week is awfully good.”
Kooch, who joined Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Englishmen Ian Poulter and Paul Casey as players over 40 to win on the PGA Tour this year, posted a winning score of 22-under 262.
Lee, whose only victory on the PGA Tour came in the 2015 Greenbrier Classic, put pressure on Kuchar with seven birdies in a 65, while J.J. Spaun of Los Angeles and San Diego State shot 66 to finish three shots back in a tie for third with Ricky Weresnki, who finished at 67.
Brice Garnett was another stroke back in solo fifth after a 66, while Pat Perez of San Diego totaled 67 to tie for sixth with Scott Piercy, who had the low round of the day with a bogey-free 62, Harold Varner III, who had a 65, and Jim Furyk, who wound up at 67.
Cameron Champ of Sacramento and Aaron Wise of Lake Elsinore both totaled 69 and were six down in a tie for 10th with Adam Hadwin (68) of Canada), Anirban Lahiri (68) of India and Whee Kim of South Korea (72).
Ninth-ranked Rickie Fowler of Murrieta tied for 16th after a 67 and defending champion Patton Kizzire closed with a 75 while skidding to a tie for 55th.
For complete results, visit https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/mayakoba-golf-classic/leaderboard.html
