Kurt Kitayama Wins the 3M Open with a Dazzling Final Round
Kurt Kitayama capped off a spectacular weekend with a final round of 65 strokes, securing the victory at the 3M Open. Kitayama edged out Sam Stevens by one stroke, earning his second PGA Tour win. After tying the tournament record with an impressive round of 60 strokes on Saturday, Kitayama began the final day just one stroke behind the leaders. His performance included six birdies in the first eight holes, allowing him to build a solid lead on a hot afternoon at TPC Twin Cities.Despite a bogey on the 17th hole for the third consecutive day, which reduced his lead to a single stroke, Kitayama remained calm. Stevens, playing in the previous group, failed to birdie on the 18th hole, giving Kitayama the opportunity to secure the victory. After his approach on the final hole ended in a bunker, Kitayama executed an excellent shot to leave the ball 18 feet from the hole, achieving two putts for par and finishing with a total of 23 under par, 261 strokes. His older brother, Daniel, was his caddie for the second time this season.Starting that way helps calm the nerves. In the final round, being in the second-to-last group definitely generates some tension.
Kurt Kitayama
Matt Wallace, David Lipsky, Pierceson Coody, and Jake Knapp shared third place, three strokes behind the leader. The victory gave Kitayama a significant boost in the FedEx Cup standings, rising to the top 70 and securing his participation in the playoffs. It is projected that he will move up from 110th to 53rd place. Kitayama, who had already tied for sixth place at the 3M Open last year, has had a season with ups and downs, but this victory will boost his world ranking, moving from 97th to 39th. The 32-year-old golfer, originally from California, demonstrated great precision in his approach game. His impressive performance included a shot with a 7-iron from a fairway bunker on the 14th hole, 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. Stevens, for his part, achieved five birdies in the second half of the course, consolidating his outstanding season, which includes three top-three finishes. The 29-year-old player from Texas, although still seeking his first victory, advanced from 44th to 29th in the FedEx Cup, with one event remaining in the regular season.He helped me stay calm and make good decisions. Having family on the caddie helps a lot.
Kurt Kitayama
Knapp, playing with Stevens, was in the fight until his second shot on the 18th hole ended up in the water, resulting in his only bogey of the day and his third top-five of the year. Akshay Bhatia and Thorbjorn Olesen, who were leading before Sunday, had a disappointing finish. Bhatia finished in 25th place with 75 strokes, while Olesen tied for 14th place. Adam Svensson, who tied the course record with a 60 on Thursday, rebounded from a round of 75 with a weekend of 68-65. The defending champion, Jhonattan Vegas, had his best round of the tournament (67) and finished tied for 44th place.With Kurt playing so well in the first nine holes, I felt I could play more freely and aggressively.
Sam Stevens
