The classification of the final round of the Honda Classic: (PGA National, Palm Beach, Florida) |
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-6 S Im (Kor); -5 Mr. Hughes (Can); -4 T Fleetwood (ing); -3 B An (Kor), D Berger (US), B Steele (US), L Westwood (Eng) |
Others selected:-1 L Donald (ing); +1 S Lowry (Ire); 2 I Poulter (Eng); 6 T Lewis (Eng) |
Complete ranking |
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood said he was “upset” to miss his first victory on the PGA circuit after a tied final round saw him finish the Honda Classic in third position.
The overnight leader needed a normal 18 birdie to force a play-off with Sunghae Im but hit his second shot in the water as he closed with a bogey.
“You live or die from the blows you hit,” said world number 12.
South Korean Im, 21, scored a 66 on four hits to win his first PGA Tour title with six hits, one ahead of Mackenzie Hughes.
Fleetwood, a five-time European Tour winner, took a one-stroke lead in the final round at the PGA National in Palm Beach, Florida, and extended that advantage with birdies on the first two holes.
But in windy conditions, two gunshots dropped him in the head before the last nine.
A bogey in the 13th then made up for it while Im producing stellar golf. The South Korean birdie managed the 15th and 17th – two of the three holes of the famous Bear Trap course – and set the clubhouse goal.
Fleetwood had to birdie in the last two holes to catch him and he successfully putted a birdie putt in the 17th.
But after a perfect descent from the latter, his hopes disappeared when his five-wood approach plan landed in the water.
“It’s golf. Of course, I’m frustrated, upset, but I’m fine,” he told Sky Sports after scoring a fourth in the top three of his last six tournaments.
“I feel like I’m a pretty consistent player. I got up there and I had a chance to win. I’m not doing this as much as I would like, but winning is difficult.
“You have to keep going and I’m not getting worse at golf. I’m getting better.”
Lee Westwood shot 70 to finish fourth in third, while fellow countryman Luke Donald was two shots away after finishing with a 72.