Bryson DeChambeau’s driver paid off in the long run at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
DeChambeau finished at 23-under par to win the PGA Tour event Sunday at the Detroit Golf Club. He overtook runner-up Matthew Wolff with a 7-under-par 65 in the final round.
Wolff, the third-round leader, missed a much-needed eagle putt from 14 feet on No. 17 that halted at the edge of the cup, making any chances of a comeback impossible.
DeChambeau’s victory in Detroit marks his sixth career win. More importantly, it’s his first of the season. He’s been the most discussed golfer since the Tour’s return four weeks ago because of his body transformation and power with his driver.
He shot 6-under-par 66 in the first round and 5-under 67 in the second and third rounds to enter Sunday tied for second place.
In the fourth round, DeChambeau, ranked No. 10 in the world, shot 7-under-par 65 to pass Wolff and fend off others that surged late. He made birdies on Nos. 1, 3, 4, 7, 10, 16, 17 and 18.
During the last three rounds, his only bogeys came on No. 6 in the third round and No. 14 in the fourth. His bogey Sunday was his first on a par 5 in the tournament.
Before the Rocket Mortgage Classic, DeChambeau finished in the top 10 at three events: Charles Schwab Challenge (tied for third), RBC Heritage (tied for eighth) and Travelers Championship (tied for sixth).
The former SMU standout turned professional in 2016 and has Tour victories at the John Deere Classic (2017), Memorial Tournament (2018), The Northern Trust (2018), Dell Technologies Championship (2018), Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (2018) and now the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
Evan Petzold is a sports reporting intern at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at epetzold@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.
