22-Year-Old Rookie Higo "Surprise PGA Tour Victory"... "Only After 2 Tournaments~"

Palmetto Championship Final Day 3-Under Par '1-Stroke Victory', Hadley 2nd, World No.1 Johnson 10th, Im Sung-jae 35th

Garrick Higo is cheering while holding the trophy immediately after winning the Palmetto Championship. Ridgeland, USA = Getty Images / Multivitz
Photo by Multivitz

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ‘22-year-old rookie’ Garrick Higo (South Africa) achieved a surprise victory on the PGA Tour.

On the 14th (Korean time), at the Palmetto Championship held at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, South Carolina, USA (par 71, 7,655 yards), he shot 3-under on the final day to complete a one-stroke come-from-behind win (11-under 273). It is big news that he rose to the ranks of PGA Tour champions in just two tournaments after tying for 64th at last month’s PGA Championship. He received a two-year tour card and a winner’s prize of $1,314,000 (14.7 billion KRW).

Higo has already earned three wins on the European Tour and is being recognized as a next-generation star. Starting tied for third, he recorded one eagle, three birdies, and two bogeys that day. He opened the scoring early with consecutive birdies on holes 3 and 4, and although he had back-to-back bogeys on holes 6 and 9, he quickly recovered with an eagle on the 12th hole (par 5) with a 2-on 1-putt. Above all, his ‘stingy putting’ stood out with an average of 1.64 putts per hole. He sealed the round with a 7-meter birdie on the 14th hole (par 3).

Chesson Hadley (USA), who led by four strokes the previous day, faltered with a 4-over-par performance and ultimately self-destructed. Missing a par putt on the final 18th hole (par 4) that would have sent the match to a playoff added to his disappointment. He finished tied for second (10-under 274). World No. 1 Dustin Johnson (USA) stopped at a tie for 10th place (8-under 276) in his ‘US Open rehearsal.’ After gaining momentum by shooting four under, he suffered a critical blow with a triple bogey on the 16th hole (par 4) near the end.

It is interesting that Ridgeland is only a two-hour drive from Johnson’s hometown of Columbia. He was satisfied to break into the ‘top 10’ for the first time in eight tournaments since the Genesis Invitational in February. He is looking forward to the US Open starting on the night of the 17th. Korea’s Im Sung-jae (23) boosted his ranking to tied for 35th (3-under 281) with a late surge of 4-under. An Byeong-hun (30, both from CJ Logistics) is tied for 52nd (even par 284).

Dustin Johnson is looking at the ball immediately after his tee shot on the 12th hole on the final day of the Palmetto Championship. Ridgeland, USA = Getty Images / Multibits Photo by Multibits