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Pendrith triumphs in Texas

A dramatic final hole victory saw Canada's Taylor Pendrith claim his first PGA Tour title in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

Picture: AAP Image

Birdies on the 16th and 17th had given Ben Kohles a one-shot lead, only for the American to duff his chip from short of the green on the par-five 18th and run up the only bogey on the closing hole on the final day in Texas.

Playing partner Pendrith had found the green in two and two-putted from 40 feet for birdie, a closing 67 giving the 32-year-old a winning total of 23 under par.

"It's crazy," Pendrith told CBS Sports. "Ben played great today and birdied 16 and 17. I didn't hit my best iron shots down the stretch but a good two-putt on the last.

"I feel for Ben making bogey, he played so well today, but I'm super thrilled. It's amazing, I'm shaking."

Kohles, who had also been chasing a first PGA Tour title, had to settle for second place on 22 under, with Sweden's Alex Noren another shot back following a final round of 65.

England's Aaron Rai and Matt Wallace were part of a four-way tie for fourth on 20 under, Rai surging through the field with a closing 64 and Wallace recovering from a slow start to shoot 68.

English amateur Kris Kim carded a 73 in the final round to finish six under par and 65th on his PGA Tour debut.

"I've learnt so much this week and had so much fun, I just realised how big it is and how fun it is to play golf on tour," the 16-year-old said.

"I think stamina-wise I've got to get better, I just felt so tired on that final 18 holes. It definitely makes a difference what you eat and how you train and everything like that."

Meanwhile, Adrian Otaegui produced a brilliant final round of 65 to claim the weather-shortened Volvo China Open by one stroke.

The Spaniard began the day five shots behind the in-form Sebastian Soderberg, who had led from the outset of the 54-hole tournament after Saturday's third round was cancelled due to thunder and lightning in the Shenzhen area.

Soderberg started the day with a three-shot lead but he was reeled in by Otaegui following his flawless display of seven birdies to set the clubhouse target at 18 under par.

The Swede was on the same score heading down the last but hooked his tee-shot into the penalty area and despite reaching the par-four hole in three, he could not hole the monster par putt which would have extended the tournament.

Soderberg went on to three-putt for a double bogey and a level-par 72, leaving him tied for third alongside England's Paul Waring and Switzerland's Joel Girrbach, with Guido Migliozzi in second place at 17 under thanks to a lengthy birdie on the final hole.

Victory gives Otaegui the fifth DP World Tour title of his career and earns him a place at this month's US PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club after he finished in the top three of the Asian Swing rankings with Soderberg and Keita Nakajima.

"I'm very, very happy, I'm extremely happy," Otaegui said after the victory. "I had to wait a little bit since I finished, see what was happening in the final group but luckily for me, things turned up well and I'm extremely happy.

"I was starting five shots back and I tried not to look at the leaderboard, not think about the result, try to play how I played on Thursday and Friday and think if things go well, it's a course where I can have some birdie chances.

"I have been putting well, I was feeling more and more confident through the week with the putter and I knew if I had birdie chances that I could potentially hole a few. I think I was actually feeling more calm through the round."


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