Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, again, hugs his caddie on the 18th inexperienced after profitable his first US PGA Tour title on the Truist Championship at Quail Hole. Picture: AFP
LONDON:
Kristoffer Reitan, a PGA Tour rookie from Norway, gained a back-nine shootout in Sunday’s last spherical to grab his first PGA victory on the Truist Championship.
Reitan fired a two-under par 69 to complete on 15-under 269 and seize the $3.6 million prime prize within the signature occasion at Quail Hole in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I haven’t got any phrases,” Reitan mentioned. “That is far more than I anticipated and for it to occur this shortly is simply unreal. Dream come true.”
Reitan, who in his fifteenth tour begin, joined Viktor Hovland as the one Norwegians to seize US PGA Tour triumphs. He had thought-about giving up golf in 2021 however rediscovered his pleasure within the sport — resulting in his greatest profession triumph.
“It helped me discover my recreation once more, helped me uncover my abilities once more,” Reitan mentioned. “That was one thing actually essential to me, which I attempt to remind myself of each single day.
“That was positively an enormous factor for me, getting again and taking part in some good golf once more.”
American Rickie Fowler, who birdied six of the primary 10 holes, shared second with Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard on 271 after a closing 65 with England’s Alex Fitzpatrick, the 54-hole chief, settling for fourth on 272 after a closing 73.
“Joyful to see Kris win. He deserves it,” Fitzpatrick mentioned. “He performed rather well at this time. Hopefully mine one other time.”
Different gamers who gained their first US PGA Tour titles at Quail Hole included world quantity two Rory McIlroy in 2010, Fowler in 2012 and Max Homa in 2019.
McIlroy, in his first occasion since profitable his second Masters in a row final month at Augusta Nationwide, additionally birdied six of the primary 10 holes in taking pictures a 67 to share nineteenth on 279 on a course the place he has gained 4 instances.
The occasion was a final tuneup for subsequent week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink, the place top-ranked Scottie Scheffler will attempt to defend his title.
There have been 10 gamers inside two strokes of the lead within the coronary heart of the back-nine struggle.
Reitan blasted out of a greenside bunker to inside seven toes at 14 and sank the birdie putt then birdied the par-five fifteenth, reaching the inexperienced in two and sinking a putt from simply inside eight toes to succeed in 15-under.
Whereas rivals faltered late, Reitan sank a par putt from simply inside 12 toes at 16 after plunking his method right into a bunker.
Reigning US Open champion JJ Spaun of america, South Korean Im Sung-jae and England’s Tommy Fleetwood shared fifth on 273 with Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg and England’s Harry Corridor one other stroke adrift.
‘Nonetheless very surreal’
Fitzpatrick, fourth and ninth in two solo begins since sharing a pairs victory with brother Matt to earn his PGA Tour card, was within the hunt earlier than a double bogey on the par-three seventeenth.
“It is nonetheless very surreal,” mentioned Fitzpatrick. “I really feel prefer it’s loopy to be disillusioned however in some way just a little disillusioned.”
Fitzpatrick, 27, performed Quail Hole usually whereas at school at close by Wake Forest College.