PGA TOUR
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am
Hoge Upstages Spieth For Maiden PGA Tour Win at Pebble Beach
What a career highlight for Tom Hoge! The 32-year-old American matched the spectacular scene of Pebble Beach Golf Links with a sensational performance over the back nine to claim his first win on the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am. It was Hoge’s 203rd start in his eighth year on the PGA Tour. The world No. 68 overcame compatriot Jordan Spieth by two shots. With this win, Hoge receives his first invitation to The Masters at Augusta National in April.
Hoge, who finished runner up two weeks ago at The American Express, picked up four unanswered birdies over the back nine en route to a superb 4-under 68 final round to reach 19-under. His brilliant closing stretch included three birdies at the final five holes. Hoge poured in a birdie putt from 18 feet at the par 5, 14th hole to move to within one shot of tournament leader Spieth. He then joined Spieth in the lead at 18-under when he knocked his 9-iron approach shot from 141 yards to the 16th green to just inches from the cup. Minutes later, Spieth handed Hoge the lead with a bogey at the 17th hole when he failed to get up and down from the greenside bunker missing his five-foot par putt. Hoge extended his lead to two shots after knocking his tee shot at the infamous 17th hole to 21 feet and rolling in the birdie putt. After a regulation par at the 72nd hole, Hoge joined the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to win at the coveted Pebble Beach layout.
Spieth, the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am winner, was searching for his second win at Pebble Beach and 13th PGA Tour title. The 28-year-old Texan held a one shot lead with three holes to play. If he had won, Spieth would have broken the record for the biggest comeback after 36 holes. Spieth trailed by 11 shots at the halfway mark. Davis Love III came back from nine shots behind to win in 2001. The world No. 15 moved into contention after firing a superb 9-under 63 on Saturday—it was his career lowest round at Pebble Beach. His final round 3-unde 69 moved him to 17-under and outright second place.
Fellow American Beau Hossler claimed solo third place after finishing with a 1-under 71 to reach 16-under. Hossler shared the 54-hole lead with Andrew Putnam and Hoge.
Reigning FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay (71) and Troy Merritt (67) finished at 15-under and in a tier for fourth place.
Ireland’s Seamus Power set the 36-hole record in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am with his 16-under 128 over rounds at Spyglass Hill on Thursday and Pebble Beach on Friday. The 34-year-old, who held a five-shot lead at the hallway mark, signed for rounds of 74 and 72 over the weekend to finish at 13-under and in a tie for ninth place.
Jason Day was the only Australian to make the 54-hole cut. The former world No. 1 started the final round four shots off the lead. Day finished in a tie for 24th place after producing a 2-over 74 on Sunday to get to 9-under.
The PGA Tour moves to Arizona for next week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale. America’s Brooks Koepka is the defending champion.
Final Scores
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am
1. Tom Hoge -19
2. Jordan Spieth -17
3. Beau Hossler -16
T4. Troy Merritt -15
T4. Patrick Cantlay -15
T6. Matt Fitzpatrick -14
T6. Andrew Putnam -14
T6. Joel Dahmen -14
Australians
T24. Jason Day -9
MC. Matt Jones
MC. Min Woo Lee
MC. Greg Chalmers
MC. Cameron Percy
MC. Aaron Baddleley
MC. Brett Drewitt
MC. John Senden
Photo credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
