INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) 鈥� Nico Echavarria claimed the Zozo Championship for his second PGA Tour victory, shooting 3-under 67 on Sunday to win by a shot over Max Greyserman and Justin Thomas.
Echavarria, a Colombian who played at the University of Arkansas, birdied two of the final three holes 鈥� including the 18th 鈥� to add to the title he won last year at the Puerto Rico Open.
He finished at 20-under 260 at the Narashino Country Club, located about 80 kilometres from central Tokyo. It's a course record, topping the 261 Tiger Woods shot in winning in 2019.
鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible to win a tournament that Tiger鈥檚 won,鈥� Echavarria said, setting up a joke. 鈥淭his is my second victory, so I just need 80 more victories to catch him. I鈥檓 on my way, though.鈥�
Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., finished tied for 33rd at 7 under. Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., finished tied for 46th at 4 under.
Echavarria said the win last year helped build his confidence.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I would have won this week without the victory in Puerto Rico,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 pulled a lot from that moment in the last round on Sunday in Puerto Rico, I used it a lot this week to stay patient, stay calm.鈥�
Echavarria hugged his girlfriend, Claudia De Antonio. on the 18th after the victory in what he called 鈥渁 very special moment.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 surreal,鈥� he said. "It鈥檚 been a good year for me, I just haven鈥檛 had that top result. I鈥檝e been very consistent, I鈥檝e learned a lot this year. To finish the year this way is, it鈥檚 incredible, especially doing it here in Japan in such an amazing country.鈥�
Thomas, who played in the final threesome with Greyserman and Echavarria, closed with a 66. He is trying to win his first PGA title in 2 1/2 years. His last was the 2022 PGA Championship, which gave him 15 PGA titles.
鈥淥bviously bummed and disappointed, but I played so well,鈥� Thomas said. 鈥淚 played plenty well enough to win the tournament. Hit so many good putts today that just didn鈥檛 go in, that鈥檚 the difference.鈥�
Greyserman, trying for his first tour win, took a one-shot lead with a 30-foot birdie on the 14th 鈥� his only birdie on the back nine. He closed with a 65 at the Narashino Country Club and has been runner-up in three of his last five PGA events.
He's a close friend of Echavarria's. But the loss, of course, hurt.
鈥淵ou know, I didn鈥檛 quite execute down the stretch when I needed to. I mean, Nico stepped up there and he hit a great second shot (on 18). He earned it.鈥�
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AP golf:
Stephen Wade, The Associated Press
