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JT Poston hangs on to win Shriners Children's Open

golf21 October 2024 03:12| © Reuters
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JT Poston had a strong back nine and returned to the winner's circle at the Shriners Children's Open on Sunday in Las Vegas.

Poston's 4-under-par 67 pushed him to 22-under 262 for the week at TPC Summerlin, giving him a one-shot win over playing partner Doug Ghim (final-round 65).

The tournament had fallen behind schedule due to a lengthy wind delay Friday morning. The third round was not completed until Sunday morning, when Poston birdied Nos. 14, 15 and 18 to build a three-shot lead over the hard-charging Ghim.

During the final round, the par-5 ninth hole represented a two-shot swing, as Ghim sank an 11-foot eagle putt and Poston settled for par. But Poston's birdies at Nos. 12, 13 and 15 – the first coming on a 21 1/2-foot putt – gave him the cushion he needed to absorb his lone bogey at No 17.

"Doug was obviously making some birdies, and he made a nice three there on 9 and was applying the pressure," Poston said. "I told myself I was playing good, putting good, just trying to stay in my own lane."

It is Poston's third win on the PGA Tour and his first since the 2022 John Deere Classic. He was competing this week despite finishing the main FedEx Cup race inside the top 50.

"It's never easy winning out here on Tour. Today was no different. It was nice," Poston said. "I had a few holes to finish the third round this morning, and my goal was to try and snag the lead and maybe even build on it before the end of the third round.

"Was able to do that, which was great."

Ghim, though, made a nice stride from No 93 in the FedEx Cup Fall points standings to No 70. If he finishes the fall in the 51-60 range, he will qualify for the first two signature events of 2025.

"I did everything I could obviously," Ghim said. "Haven't had the best history so far in final rounds and final groups, so it's definitely going to be a little badge on my chest I guess in a sense that the next time I get in position, I'll have that in my memory bank of knowing I've done it before."

Matti Schmid of Germany and Rico Hoey of the Philippines each shot 66 for their final rounds to tie for third at 19 under. Michael Kim carded a 62 to leap into a tie for fifth at 18 under with Davis Thompson (66) and South Korea's K.H. Lee (66).

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