Kurt Kitayama Crowned Champion of the 3M Open with a Spectacular Final Round
In an exciting final round, Kurt Kitayama demonstrated his golf prowess by winning the 3M Open with a round of 65 strokes. Kitayama edged out Sam Stevens by one stroke, securing his second PGA Tour victory. Kitayama, who had tied the tournament record with an impressive 60 on Saturday, started Sunday strong, making six birdies in the first eight holes. This allowed him to build a significant lead at TPC Twin Cities, where the temperature reached 91 degrees Fahrenheit.Despite a bogey on the 17th hole for the third consecutive day, Kitayama remained calm. Stevens, playing in the previous group, failed to birdie on the 18th hole, giving Kitayama the opportunity to secure the victory. In the final hole, after his approach shot ended in a bunker, Kitayama executed a masterful shot, leaving the ball 18 feet from the hole. With two putts, he achieved par, finishing with a total of 23 under par (261 strokes). His older brother, Daniel, was present as a caddie for the second time this season, providing him with invaluable support.Starting like this helps calm the nerves. In the final round, playing in the penultimate group, there’s definitely some tension.
Kurt Kitayama
Matt Wallace, David Lipsky, Pierceson Coody, and Jake Knapp shared third place, three strokes behind the leader. This victory represents a significant boost for Kitayama, who had already won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2023. In addition to the 500 points in the FedEx Cup standings, Kitayama advanced into the top 70, securing his participation in the playoffs. He is expected to move up from 110th to 53rd in the ranking. Kitayama, who tied for sixth place at last year’s 3M Open, has had a season of ups and downs, but has shown his ability to recover. This victory will also allow him to improve his position in the world ranking, moving from 97th to 39th. The 32-year-old player, originally from California, demonstrated exceptional approach play during the tournament. On the 14th hole, he managed an impressive shot from a bunker, leaving the ball less than 2 feet from the hole, totaling 20 birdies over the weekend, the most in a PGA Tour event since 2003. Sam Stevens had an outstanding performance, with five birdies on the back nine, solidifying a strong season that includes three top-three finishes. Stevens, 29, is still seeking his first victory, but this result moves him from 44th to 29th in the FedEx Cup, with one event remaining in the regular season.It helped me stay calm and make good decisions. Having my family as part of the team is a great help.
Kurt Kitayama
Knapp, playing with Stevens, was in the fight until his second shot on the 18th hole ended up in the water, costing him a bogey and his only mistake of the day in his third top-5 of the year. Akshay Bhatia and Thorbjorn Olesen, who led at the start of Sunday, did not perform well. Bhatia finished in 25th place with 75 strokes, while Olesen, with 73 strokes, tied for 14th place. Adam Svensson, who led the first round with 60 strokes, recovered from a round of 75 on Friday with rounds of 68 and 65 on the weekend. The defending champion, Jhonattan Vegas, had his best round of the tournament with 67 strokes, finishing in 44th place with 11 under par.With Kurt scoring 29 on the first nine holes, I thought I was six or seven strokes behind. I was able to play with freedom and aggression. I didn’t feel many nerves in the second half of the round, which is good.
Sam Stevens
