Min Woo Lee held off a back-nine cost from Scottie Scheffler and a powerful end from Rory McIlroy to say a breakthrough PGA Tour title on the Texas Kids’s Houston Open.
Lee took a four-shot lead into the ultimate day and briefly noticed his lead enhance to 5 strokes at Memorial Park Golf Course, with three birdies in a five-hole stretch across the flip retaining him accountable for the event.
The Australian remained three forward till a bogey par-five sixteenth reduce his result in one, as Scheffler and Gary Woodland set the clubhouse goal at 19 beneath, just for Lee to par his ultimate two holes to card a three-under 67 and maintain onto a one-shot victory.
Scheffler stays winless in 2025 however heads into his Masters title defence with a runner-up end in Houston for the second successive yr, whereas Woodland posted his greatest PGA Tour end in six years after equalling the course file with a final-round 62.
Finland’s Sami Valimaki ended three strokes again in fourth after matching Woodland’s 62, whereas McIlroy ended his ultimate begin earlier than Augusta Nationwide with a final-round 64 and tied-fifth end.
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Rory McIlroy believes his efficiency improved because the week went on on the Houston Open and says it was a superb alternative to arrange for the approaching Masters
How Lee held on for breakthrough victory
Lee took a four-shot lead into the ultimate day and retained his in a single day benefit regardless of failing to transform birdie seems over his first two holes, then picked up a shot on the par-five third to go 5 clear.
Woodland closed inside three after following three birdies in 4 holes from the second by including one other on the par-five eighth, the place Lee scrambled an unlikely par regardless of hitting his tee shot right into a bush and having to take a penalty drop.
Lee ended the week on 20 beneath
Lee responded by rolling in a five-foot birdie on the par-three ninth to achieve the flip three forward, with successive birdies from the twelfth retaining him in command of the event regardless of low-scoring from the chasing pack.
Scheffler was seemingly out of competition after a front-nine 33 however then birdied 5 of his subsequent seven holes – together with 4 in a row from the thirteenth, whereas Woodland posted a birdie-eagle run from the fifteenth to additionally shut on Lee.
Lee was three clear with three to play earlier than spraying his drive into the water on the par-five sixteenth, the place he two-putted from 40 ft to depart with only a bogey, then made par on the subsequent to remain one forward.
His tee shot on the par-four final completed within the tough and his method landed within the again fringe, the place Lee putted to inside six inches and celebrated earlier than tapping within the par putt for an emotional victory.
“To be honest, I played unbelievable up until that bogey [16th],” Lee instructed Golf Channel. “It’s really hard. Obviously Scottie is a wonderful golfer and he keeps you on your toes. This is my first time kind of being in front and trying to hold a lead.
“I’m glad I obviously got it done, but man, I’m very exhausted. It was a lot of mental grind and I’m so proud of how I handled myself.”
Woodland had produced a surprising final-hole birdie to share second with Scheffler, as Valimaki posted an eagle and 6 birdies to leap in to fourth, whereas McIlroy ended tied-fifth with Wyndham Clark, Taylor Pendrith and Alejandro Tosti.
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Alejandro Tosti tries to kick his membership out of frustration and finally ends up completely lacking it with out making any contact.
McIlroy heads to Augusta with top-five end
McIlroy’s slim title hopes appeared successfully over when he made a three-putt bogey on the first and scrambled a par on the subsequent, just for to make the most of the par-five third after which gap 20-foot putts to publish back-to-back beneficial properties from the fifth.
The world No 2 fired an enormous method into the par-five eighth and holed a putt from an identical distance for eagle, seeing him flip in 31, earlier than following a 15-foot birdie on the tenth by including one other on the twelfth to go six beneath for the day.
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McIlroy carded an unimaginable eagle on the ultimate day of the Houston Open, serving to him cost up the leaderboard
McIlroy holed from eight ft to save lots of par on the 14th and posted a two-putt birdie on the par-five sixteenth, however ended the week on 15 beneath after lacking from inside 5 ft to save lots of par on the final.
“The last three days were really good,” McIlroy instructed Golf Channel. “I actually made a slight adjustment to my driver yesterday, I went to the range and took the loft off a little bit and definitely drove the ball better today. That was a positive, as was seeing some putts go in.
McIlroy’s subsequent begin will likely be The Masters, the place he has a chance to finish the profession Grand Slam
“As I went on during the week I went better and better, as the score suggests. It was a good week, I still feel like I have some stuff to work on but, overall, a solid week which is nice to fine-tune my game heading to Augusta.”
What’s subsequent?
The PGA Tour stays in Texas for the Valero Texas Open, held at TPC San Antonio, the place the winner – if not already exempt – will safe the ultimate invite to The Masters. Early protection begins on Thursday from 1.15pm on Sky Sports activities Golf forward of full protection from 9pm.
The Masters then takes at Augusta Nationwide from April 10-13, the place Scheffler is defending champion and McIlroy searches for a fifth main title. Watch dwell on Thursday April 10 from 2pm on Sky Sports activities Golf. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
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