Matthieu Pavon birdies final hole to claim maiden PGA Tour victory
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon claimed victory at the Farmers Insurance Open on only his third PGA Tour start with a clutch birdie at the final hole.
Pavon was one of 10 players who earned their PGA Tour playing rights via the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai rankings in 2023
Frenchman Matthieu Pavon claimed victory at the Farmers Insurance Open on only his third PGA Tour start with a clutch birdie at the final hole.
Pavon was one of 10 players who earned their PGA Tour playing rights via the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai rankings in 2023
Scores of 69, 65, 72 and 69 saw Pavon reach a 275 total of 13-under par to win by one stroke over Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard.
Pavon began the final round one behind leader Stephen Jaeger.
The 34-year-old German was in contention with Pavon until bogeys at No.12 and 14 saw his challenge fade.
By contrast Pavon, who turned in 3-under 33, was calmness personified on the back nine as the chasers struggled to make ground.
Tony Finau, Ludvig Aberg, Xander Schauffele and Hojgaard all spurned chances on the back nine to apply pressure.
Defending champion Max Homa finished inside the top-20 on 8-under.
As for Pavon, the golfer was playing on the Alps Tour in 2015. He made his way to the DP World Tour via the Challenge Tour.
He claimed his first ever victory on the European circuit last season at the Spanish Open.
In his first two starts on the PGA Tour, he posted a top-10 at the Sony Open and a tie for 39th at The American Express.
Pavon made bogey at the penultimate hole of this tournament, pulling a short par putt to set up a nervous walk down the final hole.
He tugged his tee shot left at the par-5 18th and was forced to lay-up when his golf ball settled up against the lip of the fairway bunker.
Pavon then missed the fairway again with his lay-up but somehow muscled his third out of the thick rough to set up and unlikely birdie chance.
Hojgaard reached the green in two hits and tapped in for birdie to briefly join Pavon on 12-under. But Pavon holed his putt from seven feet to pip the Dane by one.
His victory here means that he also has earned a spot in the field at next week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which has been given signature status for 2024.
Pavon also took home the top prize of $1,620,000.
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