Tony Finau collected the third win from his past seven PGA Tour starts as he cruised to a convincing four-stroke triumph at the Houston Open on Sunday.
Finau's four-stroke lead was the same buffer he held coming into the final trip around Memorial Park Golf Course after posting rounds of 65, 62 and 68.
After winning back-to-back events in July at the 3M Open and the Rocket Mortgage Classic, Finau – who finished with a final-round score of 16 under – has now won more titles in his past seven starts than he did in his first 211 to begin his career (two).
Speaking to NBC after stepping off the final green, Finau admitted he was not comfortable in such an unfamiliar position with a giant lead.
"It feels great – honestly, on the first hole I didn't know if I had it in me today," he said. "It was one of those days where I just fought, and fought, and I made a lot of nice putts on the front-nine to calm me into things.
"I've never been in this position before, with that big of a lead with nine holes to play. A lot of new nerves, I would say, but overall as the round went on I felt better, and I'm just happy to get the 'W' today.
"I've always had belief, but the confidence when you win is contagious. I've always been a very hopeful person, I work extremely hard on my body and my game, and now I'm starting to bear the fruits of that labour. It feels amazing to have that be the case.
"You never know what's going to happen in this game, but you always try to put your best foot forward, that's what I've done over the years, and I'm starting to put together a pretty full-package game."
Alone in second place at 12 under was Tyson Alexander, who had never previously finished better than tied for 44th in his seven PGA Tour starts.
Ben Taylor was the only player at 11 under in third, and there was a further three-stroke gap to the rest of the field.
World number two Scottie Scheffler finished tied for ninth at six under for his second consecutive top-10 finish, while former world number one Jason Day was one further back.
Young delighted to 'feel like himself' after Hero World Challenge opening round
Cameron Young holds a two-shot lead after the first round of the Hero World Challenge, which is being hosted by Tiger Woods in the Bahamas.
The 27-year-old shot eight under par with no bogeys on Thursday, which gave him a lead over Justin Thomas, who birdied four of the last five holes.
Young is number 38 in the world rankings and was named the 2022 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, but has not yet won a PGA title.
The American was understandably pleased with his start to the tournament.
"It's a nice thing to come out and just feel like yourself," he said.
"Really happy with it. I feel like with the driver I was just really comfortable and that's a huge key out here.
"I'm sure I missed a fairway or two, but for the most part I was really well in position. Then I made a couple putts early, which was nice."
Elsewhere, defending champion and world number one Scottie Scheffler is on five under through the first round, three shots back on Young.
Scheffler is tied with Ludvig Aberg, Sahith Theegala, Patrick Cantlay and Akshay Bhatia.
Woods, who is the host and a 15-time major winner, was forced to miss the tournament having been originally expected to take an exemption spot – the tournament itself features 20 of the world's top players.
While there was no official reason given for Woods' absence, a lengthy injury history has ensured a limited competition schedule in recent years.
Dealing with 'unfair expectations' just 'part of the gig' for McIlroy
Rory McIlroy knows dealing with "unfair expectations" comes with the territory as one of golf's star names.
The four-time major winner was close to ending his long wait for a fifth such title at the U.S. Open earlier this year, but suffered a heartbreaking near-miss.
Bryson DeChambeau capitalised on McIlroy's wobble, and the Northern Irishman has now not won a major for a decade, with his last triumph arriving at the 2014 PGA Championship.
McIlroy had previously won the 2011 U.S. Open, the PGA Championship in 2023 and The Open two years later.
"I'm hard on myself, but at the same time, I try very hard to focus on the positives and move forward," McIlroy told Sky Sports.
"I learn from my mistakes and then move on, because that's all you can do in any walk of life.
"I think what the hard thing is in my position is your disappointments and your mistakes keep getting brought up to you every time that you get in front of a camera or you're in a press conference or answering questions. That's the tough part of this gig.
"At the same time, I am in a very fortunate position that this is what I get to do for a living. If I have to deal with what people deem are unfair expectations or are held to a higher standard than others, then so be it.
"I'd much rather have it this way than if people didn't really care about what I was doing on the golf course."
The 35-year-old has been nominated for the 2024 PGA Tour Player of the Year award and won his sixth Race to Dubai last month.
But McIlroy knows his slip-up at the U.S. Open is what will stand out from his campaign.
He had a comfortable lead at eight-under, but three bogeys allowed DeChambeau to win by a single shot. McIlroy took time away from the sport in the wake of the tournament.
"It's hard because, on one hand, I sit here, and I'm proud of what I've done this year, but then, on the other hand, I sit here, and I am disappointed because of the ones I've let get away," McIlroy said.
"I'd say it was a combination of everything. I wouldn't say it's specifically the putts. I wouldn't say it's specifically the club choices - I think it's a combination.
"The putt on 16 was probably the one that I'll look back on most that I'll regret. But I think if I had made par on 15, do I miss that putt on 16? Also, with the last few holes and with the way Pinehurst flows, I was waiting for Bryson to hit his shots.
"You're very aware of what's happening behind you and I needed to do a better job of trying to block that out and I didn't. It's hard enough just having to concentrate on yourself and focus on what you're doing.
"Whenever your attention is taken away by focusing and looking at what your competitor does, it makes it even more difficult," he added.
Rory McIlroy looks ahead to 2025 and 'unfinished business' with Portrush
Rory McIlroy is already looking ahead to 2025 and the "unfinished business" he has at Royal Portrush.
The past year has been up and down for the four-time major winner, who won the DP World Tour's Dubai Desert Classic, DP World Championship, Zurich Classic and Wells Fargo Championship and recorded seven top-10 finishes.
But he suffered heartbreak at the U.S. Open where he led by two with four to play before bogeying three of the final four holes at Pinehurst No.2, as Bryson DeChambeau claimed a second major title.
McIlroy has not won a major for over 10 years and in July will return to his home course at Portrush for the 153rd Open, where he missed the cut back in 2019.
The 35-year-old, speaking to Sky Sports, addressed what is to come next year, including the return to Portrush.
"I love that we're playing the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in May, which is typically when we played the Wells Fargo," McIlroy said.
"It's when I know the golf course the best and I know that it's going to play, you know, the characteristics.
"I can't wait to go back to Portrush, because I feel like I've got some unfinished business there from last time, and we'll obviously go back to Augusta for The Masters.
"I think the one thing that probably won't get enough credit, because I've not won the US Open, is that I feel like I've become such a such a better player at US Open venues.
"So 2016, when we last played at Oakmont, where the US Open is, I missed the cut. I missed the cut in 2017 at the US Open and I missed the cut of 2018 in the US Open, but since then I've made a real effort to try to change what I did and how I approached playing that championship.
"From 2019 all the way through to this year in 2024, I feel like I've had a chance to win the US Open every Sunday that I've played there since, so I'm really proud of that. I'm looking forward to going back to a golf course that I struggled at before to see if I can figure it out."
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