Min Woo Lee held off a back-nine cost from Scottie Scheffler and a formidable end from Rory McIlroy to say a breakthrough PGA Tour title on the Texas Kids’s Houston Open.
Lee took a four-shot lead into the ultimate day and briefly noticed his lead enhance to 5 strokes at Memorial Park Golf Course, with three birdies in a five-hole stretch across the flip maintaining him accountable for the event.
The Australian remained three forward till a bogey par-five sixteenth reduce his result in one, as Scheffler and Gary Woodland set the clubhouse goal at 19 beneath, just for Lee to par his closing two holes to card a three-under 67 and maintain onto a one-shot victory.
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Scottie Scheffler carded a bogey-free 63 on the ultimate day in Houston
Scheffler stays winless in 2025 however heads into his Masters title defence with a runner-up end in Houston for the second successive 12 months, whereas Woodland posted his finest PGA Tour end in six years after equalling the course file with a final-round 62.
Finland’s Sami Valimaki ended three strokes again in fourth after matching Woodland’s 62, whereas McIlroy ended his closing begin earlier than Augusta Nationwide with a final-round 64 and tied-fifth end.
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Rory McIlroy believes his efficiency improved because the week went on on the Houston Open and says it was a superb alternative to arrange for the approaching Masters
How Lee held on for breakthrough victory
Lee took a four-shot lead into the ultimate day and retained his in a single day benefit regardless of failing to transform birdie appears over his first two holes, then picked up a shot on the par-five third to go 5 clear.
Woodland closed inside three after following three birdies in 4 holes from the second by including one other on the par-five eighth, the place Lee scrambled an unlikely par regardless of hitting his tee shot right into a bush and having to take a penalty drop.
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Lee ended the week on 20 beneath
Lee responded by rolling in a five-foot birdie on the par-three ninth to succeed in the flip three forward, with successive birdies from the twelfth maintaining him answerable for the event regardless of low-scoring from the chasing pack.
Scheffler was seemingly out of rivalry after a front-nine 33 however then birdied 5 of his subsequent seven holes – together with 4 in a row from the thirteenth, whereas Woodland posted a birdie-eagle run from the fifteenth to additionally shut on Lee.
Lee was three clear with three to play earlier than spraying his drive into the water on the par-five sixteenth, the place he two-putted from 40 toes to go away with only a bogey, then made par on the subsequent to remain one forward.
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His tee shot on the par-four final completed within the tough and his strategy landed within the again fringe, the place Lee putted to inside six inches and celebrated earlier than tapping within the par putt for an emotional victory.
“To be sincere, I performed unbelievable up till that bogey (sixteenth),” Lee instructed Golf Channel. “It is actually laborious. Clearly Scottie is a superb golfer and he retains you in your toes. That is my first time sort of being in entrance and making an attempt to carry a lead.
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“I am glad I clearly acquired it performed, however man, I am very exhausted. It was a variety of psychological grind and I am so pleased with how I dealt with myself.”
Woodland had produced a shocking final-hole birdie to share second with Scheffler, as Valimaki posted an eagle and 6 birdies to leap in to fourth, whereas McIlroy ended tied-fifth with Wyndham Clark, Taylor Pendrith and Alejandro Tosti.
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Alejandro Tosti tries to kick his membership out of frustration and finally ends up completely lacking it with out making any contact.
McIlroy heads to Augusta with top-five end
McIlroy’s slim title hopes appeared successfully over when he made a three-putt bogey on the first and scrambled a par on the subsequent, just for to reap the benefits of the par-five third after which gap 20-foot putts to submit back-to-back features from the fifth.
The world No 2 fired an enormous strategy into the par-five eighth and holed a putt from an analogous distance for eagle, seeing him flip in 31, earlier than following a 15-foot birdie on the tenth by including one other on the twelfth to go six beneath for the day.
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McIlroy carded an unbelievable eagle on the ultimate day of the Houston Open, serving to him cost up the leaderboard
McIlroy holed from eight toes to avoid wasting par on the 14th and posted a two-putt birdie on the par-five sixteenth, however ended the week on 15 beneath after lacking from inside 5 toes to avoid wasting par on the final.
“The final three days had been actually good,” McIlroy instructed Golf Channel. “I truly made a slight adjustment to my driver yesterday, I went to the vary and took the loft off just a little bit and positively drove the ball higher at present. That was a optimistic, as was seeing some putts go in.
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McIlroy’s subsequent begin shall be The Masters, the place he has a possibility to finish the profession Grand Slam
“As I went on in the course of the week I went higher and higher, because the rating suggests. It was a superb week, I nonetheless really feel like I’ve some stuff to work on however, total, a strong week which is sweet to fine-tune my sport heading to Augusta.”
What’s subsequent?
The PGA Tour stays in Texas for the Valero Texas Open, held at TPC San Antonio, the place the winner – if not already exempt – will safe the ultimate invite to The Masters. Early protection begins on Thursday from 1.15pm on Sky Sports activities Golf forward of full protection from 9pm.
The Masters then takes at Augusta Nationwide from April 10-13, the place Scheffler is defending champion and McIlroy searches for a fifth main title. Watch reside on Thursday April 10 from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
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