Max Homa won his second victory in 2021 on the Silverado Resort course on Sunday. The young 30-year-old styled Maverick McNealy on the pole. For his part, Paul Barjon started his season well on the PGA Tour by signing a second 70 during the last round.
Coming three shots from Maverick McNealy with seven holes left, the odds of Max Homa to win again at home in California, still seemed very slim.
After three birdies on the last 4 holes of the first leg, a bogey at 10 had just put a stop to the comeback of the winner of the Genesis Invitational in February in Los Angeles.
But it was without counting on the little help of fate, the luck of the winner will say some, materialized by an eagle at 12 on a wedge stroke while rhythm at nearly 90 meters from the hole.
Following up the eagle with a 21-footer. ????@MaxHoma23 co-leads @FortinetChamp. pic.twitter.com/hZdY5kSoR1
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 19, 2021
That bonus on that par 4 followed by a good birdie putt on the next hole and two more birdies at the 16 and 17 propelled the 30-year-old, native of California, to the top of the standings in the first PGA tournament of the season. Tower.
At -19 at the clubhouse with the card of the day signed (65), Homa will not be joined by Maverick McNealy, last player able to push him into play-off. The latter had indeed seen his hopes for a first success on the great American circuit dashed two holes from the end.
Double Bogey et Eagle
On his penultimate face-off, his ball, having caught one of the many trees that frame the fairways of the tricky Napa Valley route, had only traveled 150 meters of the latter’s 330 meters by 4.
The double bogey at the 17th made the mission of the young American of 25, son of a billionaire from Silicon Valley, almost impossible at the 18th. He nevertheless made a point of honor to end his beautiful week in style with a eagle on this par 5.
Remember that Max Homa thus won his third success in three years. This will further increase the number of followers of this star of social networks to whom the mustache gives false air of the “Magnum” of Tom Selleck.
The Chilean Mito Pereira climbs on the third step of the podium while the climbs of the day are to be put to the credit of the Australian Leishman (65 like Homa) and the Japanese winner of the Masters Hideki Matsuyama (66). The first gained 22 places and took 4th place, the second progressed 26 places and finished sixth.
No 15th win in California for Phil Mickelson
In the disappointment department, once is not customary, Phil Mickelson did not give the shivers to his supporters on Sunday. He who started only 4 strokes behind on the last lap never seemed able to find the rhythm.
The fifty-year-old left-hander, who only touched 7 of the 14 fairways and caught 10 greens in regulation, mainly fished on putter in his hands.
Mickelson therefore had to be content with a card of 75 and fell back to 36th place after raising hopes the day before for a 46th success on the PGA Tour, 15th in his state of California.
Barjon ends well
For his first outing as a full member of the PGA Tour, French rookie Paul Barjon had a good week overall and ended his tournament on a high note.
Besides an annoying double bogey at 9, the performance of the New Caledonian in the last round of this first tournament of the season was certainly the most successful. Barjon touched 9 of the 14 fairways and took 14 greens in regulation.
Paul Barjon at 7 a.m. © Photo Meg Oliphant Getty Images via AFP
As since the start of the week, he has been effective on the greens with, in particular, a fine string of more than 8 meters at 7 the second par 3 of the first leg.
He also returned a chip on the first par 3 of the return, on the 11th, before making two consecutive birdies at the 13th and the 14th.
In total Barjon recorded 5 birdies, a bogey and a double bogey on Sunday for a card of 70 and a 42nd place final 13 strokes behind the winner.
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