Americans Andrew Novak and Ben Griffin won their first PGA Tour titles on Sunday by teaming up to capture the Zurich Classic pairs event.
They combined to fire a one-under par 71 in Sunday’s alternate shot final round to finish 72 holes at TPC of Louisiana on 28-under 260 and defeat Danish twins Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard by one stroke.
Struggling after coming out of a 2 1/2-hour storm delay with back-to-back bogeys to close the front nine, Novak and Griffin parred along the back nine until Griffin sank a clutch 35-foot birdie putt at the par-three 17th.
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“That putt I’m just trying to lag it up there close for Andrew,” Griffin said. “I took a line where I thought I’d make it and fortunately hit it on it and it fell in the centre.” They parred the last for the victory but the Danes had kept the pressure on them with birdies on three of the last six holes.
“I’m really glad I had Ben to guide me through it today,” Novak said. “The wheels were coming off. I was having some issues, especially after the weather delay, but he played awesome. We kept it together. That putt on 17 was unbelievable and I’m glad we got it done.”
Novak became the first player to lose in a PGA Tour playoff one week, falling to Justin Thomas at last week’s Heritage tournament, and then win the next week since 2022, when American Patrick Cantlay lost a Heritage playoff then won the Zurich title.
After a bogey-birdie start, Novak and Griffin birdied the fifth and par-five seventh holes before the storm struck with them on 29-under and ahead by three, a lead that fell to one as they began the back nine.
Defending champions Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, trying to become the first back-to-back Zurich winners, settled for a share of 12th on 266 after a closing 72.
McIlroy captured his third title of the year two weeks ago at the Masters to complete a career Grand Slam. He’s planning for some rest ahead of next month’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, a course where he has won four times.
“I’ve got to just take a little bit of time,” he said. “It’s nice to have a week off, reset and try to get some practice in.
“I’m looking forward to a couple days off and then sort of kicking the feet up and trying to recharge the batteries a little bit.”
Australia’s Karl Vilips finished three shots back from the winners, playing alongside American Michael Thorbjornsen.
The duo, who attended Tiger Woods’ college Stanford University together, were in the hunt for victory until Vilips pulled his tee shot into the water left of the green at the par 3 17th.
They made double bogey to end their hopes but responded by birding the last to sign off for a final round 68.
Fellow Australian Cam Davis and playing partner Adam Svensson had a day to forget as they tumbled down the leaderboard with a 78 after starting the final round five shots off the lead.
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