Sepp Straka wins John Deere Classic after nearly shooting 59
Sepp Straka shot a career-low round Sunday at TPC Deere Run.
Sepp Straka shot a career-low round Sunday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois to win the John Deere Classic by three strokes.
But it was one hole away from being by so much more.
Straka, 30, entered Sunday's final round at 12-under par, four strokes back of leader Brendon Todd.
He teed off well before the final pairing of Todd and Alex Smalley, but an incredible round vaulted the former University of Georgia golfer up to the top of the leaderboard in no time.
Straka came out of the gates hot on Sunday, with a birdie-eagle sequence over the first two holes.
He followed it up with four more birdies on the front nine to card a 7-under 28 at the turn. Fifty-nine watch had officially begun.
Straka, who was born in Austria, continued the incredible pace and was already at 11-under on his round by the time he walked up to the 15th hole.
10-under thru 13 @SeppStraka is officially on #59Watch pic.twitter.com/esCVmQtHVr
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 9, 2023
Needing just one more birdie over the next four holes, a historic round seemed almost inevitable.
But it wasn't meant to be.
Instead, Straka made par at each hole before arriving at the par-4 18th. It was on the second shot where Straka's hopes for a sub-60 round were officially crushed, ending up in the water to the left of the green.
With a double-bogey 6, he was forced to settle for 62, which was still a career low round.
Career low round for @SeppStraka
Despite a double bogey at the last, he posts a strong Sunday to go to the clubhouse leading by 2 @JDClassic. pic.twitter.com/Ja96u6UuE3
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 9, 2023
However, the pain from the 18th hole was most likely short-lived, as the rest of the field was still unable to catch Straka at 21-under par.
A special moment for @SeppStraka
Fellow TOUR players @JT_ThePostman and @K_M_Mitchell were there to celebrate his win @JDClassic. pic.twitter.com/e7aKHHr7Gs
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 9, 2023
The win marked the second career PGA Tour victory for Straka and the first in the 2022-23 season. With it, he earned a $1.332m paycheck from the $7.4m purse.
