Matt McCarty goes from Korn Ferry
to the Masters after winning in Utah for first PGA Tour title
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[October 14, 2024]
IVINS, Utah (AP) — Matt McCarty started the year on the Korn
Ferry Tour and now is headed to the Masters, winning his first PGA
Tour title Sunday at the Black Desert Championship with a 4-under 67
and one swing that all but sealed it.
McCarty won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour to earn an instant
promotion in August. In his third start on the PGA Tour, he made
winning look just as easy. Staked to a two-shot lead going into the
final round, he never trailed at Black Desert Resort and won by
three shots.
Stephan Jaeger closed within one shot with birdies on the 14th and
15th. McCarty effectively ended any threat with a 3-wood on the
310-yard 14th that was close to perfect, bounding onto the green and
settling 3 1/2 feet from the cup for an eagle.
The victory means the 26-year-old left-hander from Arizona is
assured of being in three of the majors next year. He gets into the
Masters and PGA Championship with his PGA Tour title, and McCarty
already earned a spot in the U.S. Open by leading the Korn Ferry
Tour points list.
McCarty becomes the first player since Jason Gore to win three times
on the developmental tour to earn an instant promotion and then win
on the PGA Tour in the same season. He finished at 23-under 261 and
earned $1.35 million.
“I don't know how you can expect this,” McCarty said. “It's just a
lot of fun. I've been working really hard. This year was great for
me. To get out here a little early, to get some experience was great
and obviously this now.
“It's just been a crazy last few months for me.”
McCarty didn't face much stress — he can attribute that to some
beautiful lag putting — except for that one brief moment when Jaeger
made a late move.
All the potential challengers went the other direction for much of
the sunny day in southwestern Utah, the Beehive State's first time
hosting a PGA Tour event in 61 years.
Joe Highsmith, playing in the final group, made double bogey on the
opening hole. Harris English had three bogeys on the front nine that
offset three birdies and kept him from making a move. Jaeger, who
went toe-to-toe with Scottie Scheffler to win the Houston Open in
March, managed only one birdie on the front nine.
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McCarty motored along, leading by three, not
dropping a shot until a three-putt from 55 feet from below a ridge
on the 12th hole. And then when Jaeger holed a 5-foot birdie putt on
the 13th and drove the 14th green for a two-putt birdie to close
within one, McCarty answered.
He hit a draw with his 3-wood, stared it down and said, “Turn!” That
it did, landing short of the green and slowing into the grain to
nearly tap-in range. Jaeger, two groups ahead of him, had three
straight birdie putts burn the edge of the cup.
Jaeger closed with a birdie on the par-5 18th for a 68 to finish
alone in second.
“I gave myself a shot,” Jaeger said. “I didn’t drive it well enough
to give myself shorter clubs in and ample opportunity for birdie.
But sometimes you have that. I made some nice putts coming in, so
I’m happy with that.”
Lucas Glover shot 62 and tied for third with Kevin Streelman, who
had a big opportunity even without having a serious chance to win.
The FedEx Cup Fall is largely about players finishing in the top 125
to keep full PGA Tour cards for 2025.
Streelman came in at No. 177, and every shot mattered. He angrily
slapped his thigh when he missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 16th
hole, and then he watched his wedge hit the pin on the par-3 17th
and bound off the green. He managed to save par, and he birdied the
18th for a 69.
That moved him to No. 138, getting him a little closer to 125th with
at least four more tournaments left in the fall.
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