Matthew Wolff a PGA Tour winner at age 20 in 3rd pro start
BLAINE, Minn. — Matthew Wolff made a 26-foot putt from the fringe for an eagle on the final hole for a 6-under 65 to win the 3M Open on Sunday, beating Collin Morikawa and Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke in a tense finish to the first-time PGA Tour event.
The 20-year-old Wolff struck his second shot on the 573-yard, par-5 hole from the fairway to the far left of the green, where it landed just a few feet away from a bunker. He sank the dramatic putt in front of a packed 18th gallery at the TPC Twin Cities, before waiting to watch Morikawa just miss his eagle attempt from 22 feet.
When the ball rolled on the left edge and about 3 feet too long, Morikawa winced as Wolff hugged his caddie in celebration of the $1.152 million prize and his tour card just six weeks after winning the NCAA individual title with Oklahoma State.
Wolff joins Tiger Woods and Ben Crenshaw as the only players to win the NCAA title and a PGA Tour event in the same year.
"I'm really not an emotional guy, but tears came to my eyes," Wolff said.
He finished at 21-under 263.
DeChambeau, playing directly in front of Morikawa and Wolff, had just finished his up-and-down afternoon with an eagle to take the short-lived lead at 20 under. The lively crowd, which went five rows deep behind the ropes near the final green, roared when DeChambeau crushed his second shot 204 yards from the intermediate rough onto the green within 6 feet of the pin.
Playing in just his third tournament as a pro, all on sponsor exemptions, Wolff successfully fended off a steely finish by Morikawa, who also turned pro this summer after leaving Cal. The 22-year-old Morikawa, whose putt for birdie on the 17th hole barely horseshoed out, flashed Wolff a warm smile as the two embraced on the green.
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