Poston wins Wyndham Championship without dropping shot

[August 05, 2019]  By Andrew Both

GREENSBORO, N.C. (Reuters) - North Carolina native J.T. Poston became the first player in 45 years to win a PGA Tour event without dropping a shot when he beat Webb Simpson by one stroke at the Wyndham Championship on Sunday.

Not since Lee Trevino at New Orleans in 1974 had a player negotiated 72 holes without a bogey en route to victory.

Poston stormed out of the pack, claiming his first tour victory in style with an eight-under-par 62 at Sedgefield Country Club.

Born less than 100 miles away in Hickory, and buoyed by enthusiastic support, Poston finished at 22-under 258.

Fellow North Carolinian Simpson (65) birdied the last for second place, while South Korean An Byeong-hun (67) bogeyed the par-four 18th for third, two shots behind.
 

An had a 60-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff. He gave it a good run, his ball touching the edge of the cup but rolling 10 feet beyond. He missed the comeback attempt.

"Any win out here on tour is a dream come true but to do it here in Greensboro, an hour-and-a-half from where I grew up, is something I never could have imagined," said 26-year-old Poston.

"I've got so many friends and family that are here, coming in from all over the place. The celebration's going to be a lot of fun."

Poston said a quick session with his instructor on Monday led to his blemish-free tournament.

"He gave me one little tip and it clicked right away. I mean, bogey free is great.

J.T. Poston poses with the Sam Snead Trophy after winning the Wyndham Championship golf tournament at Sedgefield Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

"The course was easy enough to where if you hit fairways you could attack some pins, and my iron play was really solid all week and today I made some puts and was able to get that low one in there."

An also played bogey-free for 68 holes, before finally dropping a shot at the par-five 15th, where for the second day running his drive ended in long fescue rough, prompting him to take a penalty stroke.

"That 15 was very disappointing because I didn't hit that bad of a drive," said the 27-year-old, still winless on the PGA Tour.

"I think there was too much adrenaline going on. It wasn't a bad drive to end up where it was.

"I should have hit a two-iron maybe to stay in the fairway and to give myself a chance to go at the green but the bogey was definitely a killer. At the end I just ran out of juice I think."

Simpson birdied four of the last five holes for second.

(Reporting by Andrew Both, editing by Pritha Sarkar/Peter Rutherford)

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