Page 20 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 20
A20 SPORTS
Monday 25 SepteMber 2017
Schauffele wins Tour Championship, Thomas takes FedEx Cup
By DOUG FERGUSON nine when he couldn’t af- first PGA Tour rookie to win
AP Golf Writer ford to drop a shot. He the Tour Championship
ATLANTA (AP) — Justin closed out his 2-under 68 since it began in 1987.
Thomas is the FedEx Cup by swirling in a 3-foot birdie “It’s been a wild ride,” he
champion, a surprise to no putt for a one-shot victory said.
one who saw him power over Thomas. A year ago, he missed his
his way to scoring records, “My hands were shaking PGA Tour card by $975 on
his first major at the PGA so much,” Schauffele said. the Web.com Tour, and
Championship and more “I’m still kind of in shock.” then earned it in a four-
PGA Tour victories than Thomas did his part, even tournament playoff series.
anyone this season. with a runner-up finish. Go back to the first week
Standing next to him at the Five shots behind to start in June, and he was No.
trophy ceremony was Xan- the final round and need- 134 in the FedEx Cup and
der Schauffele, who never ing to play well to have a just trying to keep his card
imagined being at the Tour shot at the FedEx Cup, he when he qualified for the
Championship, much less nearly won the Tour Cham- U.S. Open in a five-man
winning it. pionship with two late bird- playoff for two spots.
Both put on quite a show ies, only for his 25-foot bird- He tied for fifth at Erin Hills. He
Sunday at East Lake. ustin Thomas, left, holds the trophy after winning the Fedex Cup, ie on the 18th snap hard to won the Greenbrier Classic
Schauffele, a 23-year-old as he stands with Xander Schauffele who holds the trophy af- the left in front of the cup. a month later. A week ago
rookie from San Diego who ter winning the Tour Championship golf tournament at East Lake He shot a 66. at Conway Farms, his sea-
Golf Club in Atlanta, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017, in Atlanta.
was worried about keep- Associated Press No matter. son was about to end until
ing his card just over three His repeat victory in Ma- he played the final six holes
months ago, capped off an amazing summer with four par saves on the back laysia, his sweep of Ha- at 6-under par to squeak
waii — including a 59 and into the Tour Champion-
the lowest 72-hole score ship.
in PGA Tour history at the “Five months ago, two
Sony Open — his first ma- months ago, three hours
jor and a bold finish at East ago, I wasn’t expecting a
Lake carried him to a FedEx lot,” Schauffele said. “I’ve
Cup title and little doubt hit every goal we’ve ever
who was the best in golf imagined.”
this year. And he looked like he be-
Thomas won the $10 mil- longed all along while do-
lion bonus, along with sec- ing it. Starting on the par-3
ond-place prize money of 11th hole, he one-putted
$945,000 that pushed him four straight greens from
over $10 million for the year outside 6 feet — one of
to win the money title. them for birdie, the rest for
“It’s huge,” he said. “It’s pars, all of them clutch.
awesome just because I Schauffele saved par from
feel like I played so well this right of the 17th green for
year. I was consistent. A lot the fourth time on the back
of great weeks and great nine, and then smashed a
memories even — life- 347-yard tee shot on the
changing events that just 18th that left him an ap-
ended with another life- proach just short of the
changing thing for me. To green. He putted that up
just have my name on the to 3 feet and then nearly
trophy with the rest of those missed. The ball hit the left
guys is pretty awesome.” edge and swirled 270 de-
It was the first time in eight grees before dropping in
years that two players cel- the front.But it was enough
ebrated at East Lake. Tiger to finish at 12-under 268, a
Woods won the FedEx Cup victory worth $3.75 million,
and Phil Mickelson won the $2 million of that for finish-
Tour Championship in 2009. ing third in the FedEx Cup.
The surprise guest to the He also moved to No. 32 in
party was Schauffele, the the world.q
