Rookie Austin Cook was as cool Sunday as the early morning temperature at Sea Island.
They’re celebrating in Jonesboro, Arkansas, because one of their own won his first PGA Tour event Sunday at the RSM Classic.
No experience? No problem for Cook who looked extremely polished over the weekend and when it was all over, won by four shots over fellow Web.com grad J.J. Spaun.
Cook birdied three of his last four holes, shot 21-under par and was four better than Spaun, five better than veteran Brian Gay, who holed out his second shot at the 72nd hole for eagle to claim solo third.
“I slept terrible last night,” admitted Cook, who couldn’t help think about what a victory might do for his career. Now his entire 2018 schedule has changed. He’ll head for the season-opening Tournament Of Champions in Hawaii and will have spots in The Masters, The Players and The PGA. “To come out here and get a ‘W’ is unbelievable,” he said after he holed a 12-footer for birdie to close his round in style.
“I knew it was going with be a grind with this wind. Once I got to 15 and 16, I knew I could play good golf.”
Cook was the fourth first-time winner in the cross-over season events in the United States.
Brendan Steele was a repeat winner at the Safeway. After that, Patrick Cantlay won the Shriners, Ryan Armour took the Sanderson Farms and Patton Kizzire won last week in Mayakoba.
