LAST UPDATE | 2 Apr 2023
PADRAIG HARRINGTON FINISHED tied for 10th at the US PGA Tour Texas Open after slipping down the leaderboard on the final day in San Antonio, as Corey Conners warmed up for his sixth Masters appearance with victory.
Conners posted a bogey-free 68 on Sunday to capture his second US PGA Tour title in the same event where he won his first in 2019.
Harrington went into the final day tied for sixth on seven-under, five shots off the lead.
The Dubliner carded a final round 71, finishing one-under-par for the day, and eight-under for the tournament.
Harrington was even par after his opening nine, hitting a bogey on the second but recovering the shot with a birdie on the par-four fifth.
The 51-year-old then registered three birdies and two bogeys on the back nine to finish with a 71, seven shots behind winner Conners.
Conners’s 15-under-par total of 273 gave him a one-stroke win over American Sam Stevens, who piled the pressure on late in his bid to earn a first US PGA Tour title and an invitation to the first major of the year that starts at Augusta National on Thursday.
Canada’s Conners started the day one stroke behind American Patrick Rodgers, who was also chasing a first PGA Tour title and Masters invitation.
As Rodgers struggled on the front nine at windy TPC San Antonio, Conners smoothly took control.
Conners made a three-foot birdie at the second and a five-footer at the sixth, taking firm control with an 18-foot birdie putt from the fringe at the ninth that moved him to 14-under.
Unable to take advantage of the par-five 14th, where he saved par from a greenside bunker, Conners pushed his lead to three shots with a 17-foot birdie at 15, his three pars in the last three holes proving enough to get the job done.
“I was really solid all day,” Conners said. “It was a battle out here for sure, the conditions were not easy.
“Struck the ball really, really well, gave myself a lot of looks, kept things under control.
“I can’t believe I got my second win here.”
It was a confidence-building win as Conners heads to Augusta, where he finished tied for sixth last year.
Elsewhere, Brooks Koepka tuned up for the Masters with his second LIV Golf title of his career on Sunday after clinching a two-shot victory in the upstart circuit’s Orlando event.
The 32-year-old American rattled in four birdies and one bogey to finish on 15 under and pocket the $4 million winner’s prize – $1.3 million more than the winner of next week’s first major of 2023 at Augusta will receive.
“I’m finally healthy and it’s good to play some good golf,” said Koepka, who has struggled with a litany of injuries in recent seasons.
“It gives me chills thinking of the capabilities of what I can do when I’m healthy. Going into next week that’s what you want to see.”
With reporting by © AFP 2023
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