Sepp Straka is the first Austrian to win on the PGA Tour! On the final day of the Honda Classic, the 28-year-old played an outstanding round in PGA National, closing five shots behind Daniel Berger and beating Shane Lowry with three birdies in the last five holes.
“It’s crazy,” said Straka after his victory, which also qualified him for the 2022 Masters. “It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to go to Augusta in a month or so. It’s still surreal. I’m sure I’ll get it soon, but yeah, it’s just crazy.” These words can also be used to describe Sunday on the Champions Course, which is considered one of the most demanding courses on the PGA Tour.
PGA Tour: Berger collapses
The seemingly comfortable five-shot lead Daniel Berger took into the final round of the Honda Classic was quickly eroded as the American endured a pitch-black day and eventually dropped to fourth place. By the sixth hole, Berger had lost four strokes while Shane Lowry took the lead with two birdies on the first four holes. Sepp Straka had actually started the day extremely unfavorably and misplaced the par putt on hole 1 from less than one meter. But the native of Vienna quickly recovered from this faux pas and ironed out the mistake with two subsequent birdies and caught up with the leading group again. Another mistake on the 8 – Straka needed three putts – he immediately made up for and went one-under for the day on the back nine, at that point a shot behind the shared top Berger/Lowry.
PGA Tour: Strong final sprint brings victory to Straka
On the back nine, Lowry extended the lead with a birdie on the 11, but it was his last shot of the day. Meanwhile, Straka continued to play his boot, was particularly strong from the tee, hit over 90 percent of the fairways, reached over 80 percent of the green in regulation, kept birdie chances and played safe pars. On the 14 he hit a nice second shot on the green of the par 4 and sank the putt from more than three meters, with which he played up to one shot to the Irishman.
Surging @SeppStraka.
He’s within 1 after a beauty into the 14th. pic.twitter.com/47Hntyar4T
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 27, 2022
On the 16, the par 4 of the difficult “Bear Trap”, Straka managed to repeat the game and this time punched from almost five and a half meters and drew level with the 2019 Open champion at the top.
Perfect play. 🕳
Another birdie for @SeppStraka to take a share of the lead. pic.twitter.com/9uYwE7COdg
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 27, 2022
But then the weather in Florida had another surprise in store. When the last groups were on the 18, it started to rain cats and dogs. After a short break, however, the golfers continued to play and had to contend with these difficult conditions. But not Sepp Straka, who set off a bomb and attacked the green on the par 5 with the second shot. The eagle putt from almost 15 meters was only just too short, the birdie for the lead was just a formality that Lowry couldn’t counter.
Birdie at the last. ✔️@SeppStraka takes clubhouse lead with former @UGAGolf teammate and past champion @K_M_Mitchell looking on. pic.twitter.com/kwby4P3Vsx
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 27, 2022
“This place is crazy,” said Straka after the round. “There are no easy holes at all. You want to be on the 15th tee and have a chance of winning and we were there.” Straka, who moved to the USA at the age of 14, is the first Austrian ever to celebrate a win on the PGA Tour. “I held out well today and took my chances,” explained the now one-time PGA Tour winner. For this moment, even his wife flew to Florida on Sunday morning. “It’s so nice to have them all here,” said Straka, pleased with the surprise. “I didn’t even know she was coming and just saw her on the putting green today.”
Started the day with a surprise from his wife. 💯
Finished with @SeppStraka taking the title. pic.twitter.com/mRuGg4LFFr
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 27, 2022
Schwab in the top 10, Jäger is catching up
In addition to Straka, Matthias Schwab was another Austrian with a strong performance. Schwab played a flawless round of 68 on the final day and even climbed into the top 10 of the leaderboard. The 27-year-old played two birdies on the front nine, missed more shot gains during the course of the round, but didn’t lose a shot on the difficult course. The shared 7th place is Schwab’s best finish on the PGA Tour since 2020.
Stephan Jäger was the only German to make it into the weekend – Martin Kaymer failed to make the cut – but had nothing to do with the outcome on Sunday. Also with a 68 on the par 70 course, the 32-year-old made up another 15 places and finished the tournament in T48 place. Jäger produced four birdies on his last loop and only suffered a double bogey when he landed in the water on lane 6.
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