PGA Tour: Sepp Straka holds off Justin Thomas to claim American Express title by two shots in California

Austria’s Sepp Straka clinched his third PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory at The American Express in California.

Heading into Sunday’s final round with a four-shot lead, Straka was able to hold his nerve despite two late dropped shots, carding a two-under 70 to see off the challenge of runner-up Justin Thomas.

Straka, the first Austrian to win on the tour three years ago, finished the La Quinta, California tournament on 25-under, but admitted there were major nerves after carding his bogeys of the four-day event on two of the final three holes.

“Nerves, just complete nerves,” Straka said. “Stomach in a knot, the whole nine. So, yeah, just really excited about the way I handed the pressure today.”

Thomas shot a 66 to finish at 23-under, one shot ahead of fellow American Justin Lower (69) and Australia’s Jason Day (69) in third. Lower matched the best finish of his tour career. Patrick Cantlay and Charley Hoffman were 20 under.

Hitting greens regularly and putting capably, Straka was three holes away from becoming the first tour player since 2022 to play 72 bogey-free holes in a victory – until he sprayed his second shot on the 16th into the far right rough behind a berm. His third shot didn’t reach the green, before he barely missed a 17-foot par putt.

He then put his approach shot into a bunker on the 18th and then missed a 23-foot par putt, but buried his four-foot bogey putt and celebrated with a minimal fist pump.

“This golf course, you can’t really let up,” Straka said. “You’ve still got to make really aggressive swings, because you’re one swing away from a double bogey. I think that was the biggest challenge today was keeping aggressive on my targets.”

Thomas, who finished in a third-place tie at The American Express last year, made six birdies on his first 11 holes in the final round to briefly trim Straka’s lead to three shots.

The two-time PGA Championship winner ran out of steam on the back nine in his quest for his first tour victory since 2022, finishing his round with seven consecutive pars.

“I had a chance,” Thomas said. “It wasn’t, obviously, a great one on the back nine, but I was proud of myself. I did what I needed to do on the front nine today to at least be making some noise and moving up the leaderboard. It was unfortunate to kind of stall there after 11. Really, really played some great golf today.”

Day, another former PGA Championship winner, has just one victory since 2018. He failed to mount a charge while playing in the final group with Straka, and a bogey on the 15th pushed him out of range. Day shot 69.

Hoffman also was in the final group, and he joined Thomas and Day at three shots back before he put two tee shots into the water on the par-three 13th, eventually posting a triple bogey.

Straka began Sunday in the lead heading into a final round for the first time in his career. He played with confidence early, burying a 12-foot birdie putt on the opening hole. He put his tee shot on the fourth hole inside 13 feet for another birdie, and he added another with an exceptional approach shot at the seventh.

Straka also saved par at the fifth after putting his drive in the rough, and he did it again at the eighth after his tee shot dropped in the right bunker.

Thomas began his round with back-to-back birdies, and he added another on the fifth before beginning his charge in earnest with three birdies in four holes around the turn, barely missing a 34-foot eagle putt on the eighth before burying a 16-foot birdie putt on the ninth.

But Straka boosted his lead back to four strokes with a birdie at the 13th after dropping his tee shot inside eight feet.

Defending champion Nick Dunlap shot a 68 to tie for 34th at the event where he became the first amateur to win on tour in 33 years.

Sony Open champion Nick Taylor continued his strong start to the season with a 67 to finish in a six-way tie for 12th.

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