CJ Cup: Taylor Pendrith Claims First Win, Koepka Falters; Noren T3

On Monday, the CJ Cup at TPC Craig Ranch in Texas concluded with a thrilling finish. Taylor Pendrith, starting the final round in the lead, carded a -4 to secure his first PGA Tour victory with an overall score of -23. Ben Kohles finished second at -22 after posting a -5. Alex Noren climbed to solo third at -21. Four players, including Matt Wallace, tied for fourth at -20. Jack Nicklaus finished eighth alone at -19. The 2023 tournament champion Jason Day ended up T59 with a total of -9.

Leaderboard Action

Of the top eight finishers, only Nap and Wallace had prior PGA Tour victories. Pendrith outlasted five other players vying for their maiden win, shooting a 5-under 67 with one bogey for a -23 total and lifting the trophy.

Due to overnight rain, the final round’s tee times were delayed, and the lift, clean, and place rule was implemented on the fairways. Pendrith, who started with a birdie on the first hole, maintained his excellent form, ranking among the leaders in various statistical categories, including average putts per green in regulation (1.57), the best on the day.

The 32-year-old Canadian realized his dream in his 74th PGA Tour event, becoming the 11th international player outside the United States to win the Byron Nelson in the last 16 editions. This triumph secured Pendrith’s spots in the remaining three designated tournaments of the season, as well as the upcoming PGA Championship and next year’s Masters Tournament.

Koepka, also seeking his first win, briefly held the outright lead during the final round, staying within one stroke of Pendrith. However, he faltered with a bogey on the last hole, settling for second place at -22, his best career finish on the PGA Tour.

Noren, four shots behind Pendrith at the start of the final round, posted a bogey-free 6-under 66 to finish at -21, two strokes back in third place. It marked Noren’s fifth third-place finish on the PGA Tour as he continues his quest for a maiden victory. Both Noren and Koepka earned spots in the upcoming Wells Fargo Championship through their performances this week.

Wallace, the first-round leader, remained in contention but could only manage a -3 in the final round, finishing T4 at -20. Sharing that position were Sung-hoon Kim (-7), Aaron Rai (-7), and Byeong-hun An (-6), all of whom improved their rankings on Sunday.

Satoshi Koga, the rising Japanese star, tied for ninth at -18 along with three others. Day, the 2023 champion, concluded his tournament T59 at -9.

(PGA TOUR)