Matt Jones did not let his first round 61 go to waste at the Honda Classic.
Jones was the last man standing on Sunday afternoon at PGA National, the only man in double-digits under par and won by a whopping five shots with superior ball-striking and course strategy on a day when most of the would-be contenders fell apart like wet toilet paper.
The 40-year-old Aussie picked up his second PGA Tour win — his last one came at the 2014 Houston Open. He hit 17 of 18 greens on the day and led the field in Strokes Gained Tee To Green. His putter was there when he needed it as he iced the tournament with back-nine birdies at 12, 13 then the clincher at 16 — that gave him a five shot lead with just two holes to play. From there it was easy-peasy and Jones became the first player to lead in the first round then win the event.
“I’ve had some tough times,” Jones said, getting emotional after the big victory. “I’ve just worked hard — it’s finally paid off. Probably the calmest I’ve been on a golf course for four straight days,” he said as he looked to be the one guy who didn’t get flustered by the difficulty of the water-lined Champions course.
His would-be challengers fell apart one-by-one. J.B. Holmes, playing in the final pairing with Jones, fell out of contention quickly with a bogey-double-bogey start and he’d go on to shoot 79 and fall 44 places into a tie for 46th.
Aaron Wise looked like he’d step up and indeed he did in the early going. Wise was nine-under at the turn, just two behind Jones but took a triple-bogey at the par four 10th, lowlighted by a four-putt for the seven. Wise made double-bogey at 16 then finished with a bogey for a round of 73 and a tie for 13th at four-under.
Brandon Hagy didn’t win but he probably felt like a winner as he closed with 66 and finished solo second at seven-under par. Hagy finished a couple hours ahead of Jones and waited to see where he’d end up. It was a great week for a guy who wasn’t even in the field until enough players dropped out to allow him entry at the eleventh hour. A sixth-alternate, he got into town Wednesday and didn’t have a chance for any type of practice round. His highlight of the week was an eight-under par 62 on Friday.
There was a five-player logjam at six-under: Chase Seifert shot the day’s best round, a six-under 65 and was joined by Brendan Steele (65), Denny McCarthy (67), Russell Henley (68) and C.T. Pan (70).
Sungjae Im Scores Another Top Ten:
PGA Tour Ironman Sungjae Im, defending champion at the Honda Classic, had another successful week on Tour. Im closed with an even par round of 70 on Sunday and finished five-under par — good for a tie for eighth.
Im had rounds of 68-68-69 heading into the final day. He’ll be in the field at this week’s WGC Match Play at Austin Country Club.
Villegas Fails To Retain Medical Exemption:
Camilo Villegas needed to finish in a tie for third or higher on Sunday to retain his major medical exemption. He closed with a 68 and finished in a tie for eighth.
Villegas will get into a decent number events as a player in the 126-150 category and his top 10 finish puts him in the Corales Punta Cana field this week.
Two-Hundred Seventy Water Balls?
There were more balls in the water at PGA National than players in the field last week.
By Sunday, the count was at 270 for balls that had gone to their watery graves.
How hard is the Champions course at PGA National? Once again, only one player, Matt Jones, managed to score double-digits under par for the week.
“It’s a strong golf course and I think the Bear Trap has something to do with that,” said course re-designer Jack Nicklaus.
3 Comments
baxter cepeda
This was the opposite of ‘we don’t want no drama’ song.
Like everyone else I love me some Matt Jones.
He makes everyone look slow; so what does he make JB Holmes?
The cool thing about Jones cruising to the win is that it’s prooof true fast play can win pga tour events.
Every kid starting golf should have to watch Jones play on Sunday.
Also Jones’ newfound levels of calmness is no surprise since he is now entering his 4os…making him old enough to be on whatever Westwood, Casey, and cink are on these days. Whatever it is thats some good stuff.
Jack is always so well spoken. So aware. So in the loop with things. Even the way he politically defends this track is so cool.
Everyone loves Mr Palmer but is it weird to say in many ways Mr Nicklaus is my Mr Palmer?.
Jack has always been so gracious, generous, smart, outspoken, interesting, informative, all those good things.
The work he and Barbara do (similar to the Palmer family) truly is more legendary than the golf career itself.
All I will say if they put the money from all those pros lost balls into cancer research…pooof…no more cancer (maybe).
We can only imagine what they could do with the money from recreational players lost balls there.
At some mounds of balls are going to surface out of the waters.
Design wise there’s are so many things Jack should still do here. Let’s focus on the bear trap:
One of those two par 3s should be angled the opposite way so the green is positioned more like the 16th at Augusta (right to left, but with water on the right).
We get it Jack, you were a fader.
Also those fade greens should be smaller; which sounds crazy, but they should be similar to 12 (and 16) at Augusta. Maybe Jack provide a little more fairways and rough around; maybe bushes and stuff also. And please less structures….corporate and/or condos. Man those condos….
The bear traps par 4 needs to change the most. Sorry but That hole just doesn’t seem part of a famed stretch. It’s missing something. Imo.
And then there’s 18. It also needs something.imo.
It’d be cool to see that pond left on 18 get bigger and more in play off the tee; same with the lake on the right. 18 hole goes from too easy downwind one day to too hard to go for it into the wind the next day.
All this water is supposed to create drama; but it often seems to do the opposite. Imo.
Happy for Matt, he was clinical, happy for all the clinics benefiting from, but just wish we got some more drama.
It’s ok I have 50 ncaa games recorded. Plenty of drama there …not to mention the match play this week.
We do need drama.
Tom Edrington
Thanks for your latest Novel, Baxter.
baxter cepeda
Sorry. This one got long even for yours truly.
But you got 3 takes for 1.
Admiration for Jones and Jack; and been meaning to ramble about this polarizing course (like sawgrass).