CHICAGO: Bryson DeChambeau drained a 14-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole on Sunday as his storming back nine lifted him to a first US PGA Tour title at the John Deere Classic. The 23-year-old had six birdies coming in as he rallied for the victory over a faltering Patrick Rodgers, punching his ticket to next week’s British Open in the process. “I don’t even know what it means right now,” said DeChambeau, who carded a final-round 65 for an 18-under par total of 266 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. After starting the round four adrift, he finished one stroke in front of Rodgers, who started the day with a two-stroke lead but fell behind DeChambeau with a bogey at the par-five 17th and couldn’t come up with a birdie at the last to force a playoff. Rodgers signed for a 70 that put him in 267, alone in second and one shot in front of Wesley Bryan and Rick Lamb. Bryan closed strong with a 64 and Lamp carded a 66. DeChambeau was in the practice area, trying to stay warm for a possible playoff when Rodgers’ challenge ended. “I’ve just been working so hard my whole life to try and do this,” the emotional player told a television interviewer. “To finally have it happen at the John Deere – where I started pretty much a couple of years ago – is just incredible,” added DeChambeau, who played the tournament on a sponsor’s exemption in 2015.
Published in Daily Times, July 18th , 2017.