SPORT / GOLF
Kokrak captures first PGA victory at CJ Cup
Flawless final round at Shadow Creek brings maiden title in career after 233 tries
Published: Oct 19, 2020 04:43 PM

Jason Kokrak hits out of the 15th fairway during the final round of the CJ Cup on Sunday in Las Vegas. Photo: VCG



Jason Kokrak reeled off six birdies in a seven-hole stretch Sunday on his way to winning the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek and capture his first US PGA Tour triumph.

The 35-year-old American fired a final-round eight-­under-par 64 to finish 72 holes at the Las Vegas layout on 20-under 268 to defeat countryman Xander Schauffele by two strokes.

"Game plan was simple - hit fairways," Kokrak said. "Gave myself more opportunities than I had the past ­couple days and I took advantage of them."

World No.53 Kokrak was a three-time PGA runner-up - at the 2012 Frys.com Open, the 2016 Northern Trust Open and the 2019 Valspar Championship - before the breakthrough victory in his 233rd career tour event, one moved from South Korea due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Finally got it done," Kokrak said. "Couldn't be happier."

Kokrak made 14 putts from beyond 10 feet for the week, his most in any PGA start.

Eighth-ranked Schauffele, who shared second at last year's Masters and last month's Tour Championship, missed out on a fifth US PGA title.

Deadlocked for the lead at 19-under, playing partners Kokrak and Schauffele both drove into the left rough at the par-five 16th and each missed the green with his third shot.

Kokrak blasted out of a bunker and made a tense four-foot par put while Schauffele made a six-footer to salvage bogey and fall one adrift of Kokrak.

At the par-three 17th, Schauffele holed a five-­footer for par to stay one back of Kokrak heading to the par-five 18th, a hole Schauffele birdied in two of the three prior rounds.

Kokrak blasted his drive 342 yards into the fairway and used a pitching wedge to drop his ball just inside 27 feet from the cup. Schauffele missed a 10-foot birdie putt while Kokrak two-putted for birdie.

When Russell Henley could not manage a miracle albatross in the final group behind him, Kokrak had his long-sought victory.

Henley and England's Russell Hatton shared third on 271 with American Talor Gooch fifth on 272.

Kokrak, who began the day three shots adrift from leader Henley, sank a seven-­foot birdie putt at the par-four second hole but began his run to the lead with a birdie from just inside 10 feet at the par-three fifth.

Birdies putts from ­seven and five feet followed on the next two holes before he holed a 17-footer at the par-three eighth and parred to close the front nine.

Kokrak started the back nine with back-to-back birdies from 20 feet and 17 feet to reach 19-under par.

Schauffele then began a run of three straight birdie putts by making a seven-­footer at 11. He added a five-footer at 12 and rolled in an epic effort from 46 feet at the par-three 13th to match Kokrak for the lead at 19-under, setting up the closing drama.