The infamous 15th, 16th, and 17th holes at PGA National Resorts Champion Course is known as “The Bear Trap.” Through 15 holes, Shane Lowry had a three-shot lead at the Cognizant Classic, but the Irishman found the water with his tee shots on the 16th and 17th holes, going 4-over par on the two holes opening the door for Nico Echavarria, from Columbia to win his third title on the PGA Tour, his first on the U.S. mainland.
Echavarria, a former University of Arkansas golf team standout, shot 17- under par (63-72-66-66) and finished two strokes ahead of Lowry. Taylor Moore, Shane Lowry, and Austin Smotherman tied for second place. Taylor Moore was a teammate of Echavarria at Arkansas. Brooks Koepka finished in nineth place at -10.
Lowry’s collapse was like watching a crash in the last turn at Daytona. It was not pretty, but as he said later, “I hit 2 bad shots, golf does strange thing to you sometimes.” He continued saying, “I have a tee time this Thursday at Arnie’s’ place, so I’ll just dust myself off and get on with it.” Yes, that is golf.
Echavarria had a bit of drama himself, as his tee shot on the par-3 17th almost found the water. It drifted on the wind and caught the right edge of the putting surface setting up a 10 foot birdie putt, which he made to tie Lowry for the lead. Lowry found the water again at 17 and made another double bogey, the first time he had double-bogeyed back-to-back holes in his PGA Tour career. Echavarria’s par on 18 clinched the victory.
The victory earned Echavarria a spot in the field for this week’s signature event at Bay Hill as well as a return trip to The Masters in April.
Australian, Hannah Green, has won the HSBC Women’s World Championship for a second time, holding off a fast-finishing American Auston Kim to claim a one-stroke victory on Sunday.
Green, the 2019 Women’s PGA Championship winner, closed with a 69, after an erratic back-nine with three birdies and three bogeys nearly opened the door for Kim.
Green tapped in for bogey at the last and a 14-under four-round total of 274 at the par-72 Sentosa Golf Club which gave her another title in Singapore after also winning here in 2024.
Kim had the equal-best round of the day with a 67 on the back off six birdies and an eagle, but bogeys at the second and especially at the par-3 15th ended her charge at 13-under 275, and one shot behind a faltering Green.
Minjee Lee, who had been co-leader with Green coming into Sunday’s final round, mixed three birdies with three bogeys for a frustrating even final round 72 and was tied for third with Angel Yin (71) and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (68) of France at 11-under 277.
Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul, who won last week’s tournament in her native Thailand, shot 73 Sunday and was 2-under 287 and tied for 31st. She was one shot behind defending champion Lydia Ko, who had a 72.
The 72-player, no-cut tournament, was the second of three stops on the LPGA’s early year Asian swing, with the final one next week at Hainan Island, China.
The LPGA returns to the United States March 19-22 to play the Fortinet Founders Cup at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, California.
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