PGA Tour: Sepp Straka holds off Justin Thomas to win American Express title by two strokes in California | Golf news

Austrian Sepp Straka won his third PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory at The American Express in California.

Heading into Sunday’s final round with a four-shot lead, Straka managed to hold his nerve despite dropping two late shots, carding a two-under 70 to see off the challenge of second-placed Justin Thomas.

Straka, the first Austrian to win on tour three years ago, finished the tournament in La Quinta, California at 25-under but admitted he had big nerves after karting his bogeys at the four-day event on two of the last three holes.

– Nerves, just complete nerves – said Straka. “Stomach in a knot, the whole nine. So yeah, I’m really excited about the way I handled the pressure today.”

Thomas shot a 66 to finish at 23-under, one shot ahead of American Justin Lower (69) and Australian Jason Day (69) in third. Lower achieved the best result of his tour career. Patrick Cantlay and Charley Hoffman were 20 under.

Hitting the greens regularly and putting skillfully, Straka was three holes from becoming the first player on the tour since 2022 to go 72 holes without a bogey in victory – until he hit his second shot on the 16th into the far right rough behind the berm . His third shot missed the green before narrowly missing a 17-foot par putt.

Then on the 18th, he holed his approach shot into the bunker and then missed a 23-foot par putt, but buried his four-foot bogey putt and celebrated with a minimal fist bump.

“This golf course, you can’t really quit,” Straka said. “You still have to make really aggressive swings, because you’re one swing away from a double bogey. I think the biggest challenge today was being aggressive on your targets.”

Thomas, who finished tied for third at The American Express last year, made six birdies in his first 11 holes in the final round to briefly cut Straka’s lead to three shots.

The two-time PGA Championship winner was bogeyed on the back nine in his quest for his first tour win since 2022, ending his round with seven straight pars.

I had a chance, Thomas said. “Obviously it wasn’t great on the back nine, but I was proud of myself. I did what I needed to do today on the front nine to at least make some noise and move up the leaderboard. It was Unfortunately, I stopped there after 11. Really, really I played great golf today.”

Day, another former PGA Championship winner, has just one win since 2018. He failed to set up a putt while playing in the final group with Strak, and a bogey at the 15th pushed him out of range. Daily snapshot 69.

Hoffman was also in the final group and joined Thomas and Day three shots behind before dropping two tee shots into the water on the par-three 13th, only to triple bogey.

On Sunday, Straka started as the leader and entered the final round for the first time in his career. He played with confidence early, burying a 12-foot birdie putt on the first hole. He holed his first shot on the fourth hole to within 13 feet for another birdie, and added another with an outstanding approach shot on the seventh.

Straka also saved par on the fifth after going into the rough and did so again on the eighth after his first shot landed in the right bunker.

Thomas began his round with back-to-back birdies and added another at the fifth before starting his assault in earnest with three birdies in four holes around the turn, narrowly missing a 34-foot eagle putt at the eighth before burying a 16 – foot birdie putt on the ninth.

But Straka extended his lead back to four shots with a birdie at the 13th after sinking his tee shot to within eight feet.

Defending champion Nick Dunlap shot a 68 to tie for 34th in the tournament where he became the first amateur to win on tour in 33 years.

Sony Open champion Nick Taylor continued his strong start to the season with a 67 to finish in a six-way tie for 12th.

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