BERTHOUD, Colo. — Will Zalatoris was sick of being the oh-so-close guy.
The 23-year-old golfer has been a near champion on the Korn Ferry Tour several times already this season but then unable to close on championship day.
He changed that Saturday.
Before the final round of the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, he wrote his caddie a winner’s check.
Speak it, or write it, into existence and it happened.
Zalatoris held off some impressive challenges — including a record day from Chase Johnson — to win with a round of 3-under 69 and at 15 under overall.
“Finally. It’s been probably four years since I’ve won a golf tournament,” said Zalatoris, who won his first tournament as a pro.
“It still hasn’t sunk in.”
When the Korn Ferry Tour re-started in June after the coronavirus break, Zalatoris immediately made a run at a title. He was first after three rounds at the Korn Ferry Challenge at TPC Sawgrass but fell to sixth on the final day.
He finished third- and fourth-place at the next two tournaments, unable to catch the leader on the final day.
A very celebratory 4th of July for @WillZalatoris! 🎆
The @WakeMGolf alum earns his first #KornFerryTour win finishing 15-under @TPC_ColoradoTPC. pic.twitter.com/PefDwtzogZ
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) July 4, 2020
Finally, Saturday was his time to lift a trophy. He started shaky with a bogey on No. 2 but re-asserted control late with a sensational tee shot on the scenic par-3 No. 16. That set up a birdie.
It took an excellent second shot out of the rough on 18 to seal the win with a par.
“I knew I just needed to stay patient,” Zalatoris said. “Just a little bit of comfort in that final round.”
Zalatoris earns $108,000 for the win and moves to the top of the tour rankings. He shot 67 each of the first two days, a third-round 70 and then 69. Two more wins this season would earn an automatic PGA Tour card.
While his consistently strong play was the story of the tournament, Johnson was the story of the day.
The former Kent State golfer entered the final round seven strokes off the lead and off the radar in the trophy hunt. That was until he ripped off five birdies in the first seven holes.
He posted four more birdies on the first six holes of the back nine to grab first place. A bogey on No. 17 set him back, but he responded with his 10th birdie of the day on No. 18 to set a course record with a round of 9-under 63.
He was right in the mix for a playoff until Zalatoris made a late birdie. Johnson finished at 14 under for the tournament, one off his first win.
“That’s baller. That’s just absolutely balling,” said Zalatoris of his surprise challenger.
Zalatoris, Johnson and Riley Davis (who is now Zalatoris’ roommate) all played in a tournament together when they were 9 years old.
Johnson was playing the tournament on conditional tour status, needing to earn his way to his next tournament. This result secures his Korn Ferry Tour card for the rest of the season and nets him a $54,000 in prize money.
“It was fun. I came out today and was just like it’s an all-or-nothing for my position,” Johnson said. “I figured if I could get off to a hot start on the front nine, which I really like, I could give myself a shot on the back nine.”
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Stephan Jaeger, Callum Tarren and Taylor Pendrith tied for third at 13 under overall to earn $26,625 each.
It’s only the second year of the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes, but the first two have been thrillers. Nelson Ledesma won the inaugural event in 2019 with a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 18. Zalatoris and Johnson followed with the showdown Saturday.
Follow Kevin Lytle at twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle and at facebook.com/KevinSLytle. Coloradoan Sports can also be followed on Twitter. If you don’t already, please support local journalism at Coloradoan.com/subscribe.
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