PGA TOUR
3M Open
Lee Hodges Breaks Through at The 3M Open
America’s Lee Hodges won his maiden PGA Tour title at the 3M Open in Minnesota. The 28-year-old blitzed the field to score an emphatic seven-shot victory. It was his 65th PGA Tour start. Australia’s Aaron Baddeley was nine shots off the pace in a tie for seventh place.
Hodges took a five-shot lead into Sunday after producing a third round 66. It was the second time in his PGA Tour career Hodges entered the final round with the lead. He held the 54-hole lead at the 2022 American Express before Hudson Swafford mowed him down with his Sunday 64. This time, at TPC Twin Cities, his lead was much larger and he vowed to remain aggressive in his approach to collect his first win. That intent was rewarded early on Sunday when Hodges made a birdie at the 2nd hole and then produced a stunning eagle three at the par 5, 6th hole. By the time he arrived at the 18th tee, he held a three-shot lead over playing partner JT Poston. His winning victory stretched to seven shots after he made a solid birdie at the 72nd hole and Poston imploded with a shocking triple bogey. Hodges final round 4-under 67 got him to 24-under.
Poston, compatriot Kevin Streelman and Scotland’s Martin laird took a share of second place at 17-under. Laird fired an impressive 7-under 64. Streelman carded a 5-under 66. Poston signed for a final round 2-under 69.
Tour veteran Baddeley was the best-placed Australian. The 42-year-old finished in a tie for 7th place to collect his third top 10 of the season after producing a 2-under 69 final round for a 15-under total. Cam Davis was one shot further back at 14-under and in a tie for 10th place.
The PGA Tour moves to North Carolina for next week’s Wyndham Championship to be staged at Sedgefield Country Club. Korea’s Tom Kim is the defending champion.
Results
3M Open
1. Lee Hodges -24
T2. Martin Laird -17
T2. Kevin Streelman -17
T2. JT Poston -17
T5. Dylan Wu -16
T5. Keith Mitchell -16
T7. Sam Ryder -15
T7. Tony Finau -15
T7. Aaron Baddeley -15
Other Australians
T10. Cam Davis -14
MC. Cameron Percy
MC. Harrison Endycott
MC. Daniel Gale
Image credit: Stacy Revere/Getty Images
