PGA Tour rookie Scottie Scheffler walked into a winner’s circle on Thursday.
Scheffler birdied four of his last seven holes to shoot a final-round, bogey-free, 5-under-par 67 to win the Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas.
The 54-hole tournament featured current and former players from the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour as well as top amateurs and benefitted the club’s caddies, who have been sidelined because of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
With rounds of 66-74-67, Scheffler finished at 9 under 207 and one shot clear of Will Zalatoris, who plays on the Korn Ferry Tour and closed with a 65 following rounds of 73-70. Also closing with a 65 was pre-tournament favorite and rising PGA Tour star Viktor Hovland, who fell just short after opening with a 75. He was third, two shots back. Hovland, ranked No. 57 in the official world rankings, won the Puerto Rico Open in February.
In a tie for fourth at 4 under were Harry Higgs of the PGA Tour and Oklahoma State’s Austin Eckroat.
SCORES: Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current NFL analyst Tony Romo, playing at his home course, finished 39th in the 51-man elite flight of the tournament with rounds of 78-80-78.
Jordan Spieth, playing as a marker in Romo’s group, reportedly aced the 17th hole but his ball did clang off the plastic spacer located in the hole, one of the tournament’s COVID-19 protection efforts.
All entry fees of $250 were donated to the caddies. Some players gave more.
The tournament adhered to social distancing protocols – no caddies, spacing of six feet between players, no bunker rakes, flagsticks or locker room access. Tee times were spaced out and players couldn’t arrive at the course until 30 minutes before their tee time.
Which was just fine with Scheffler, 23, who is a rising star, too. Ranked No. 45, he’s 19th in the FedEx Cup points race. He had last played in The Players Championship in March, which was canceled after the first round. He has six top-20s in the 2019-2020 season, including a tie for third in the Bermuda Championship and a third-place finish in the American Express.
In taking the first-round lead, he birdied his final three holes, including a chip-in from 25 feet on the last for his 66. He made just one birdie in a second-round 74 but had a share of the lead entering the final 18 holes. Scheffler fell from the top perch with just one birdie the first 11 holes and came home with red numbers on holes 12, 14, 15 and 16 to secure the win.
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