Smylie Kaufman
Smylie Kaufman earned his PGA Tour card just a month ago. The former Vestavia Hills High star didn't waste time proving he belonged. He just had to wait a while to grab the big check.
Kaufman shot a 10-under-par 61 to charge from behind and then watched and waited while the leaders took their shots at him. None could catch him, and Kaufman was the winner of the Shriner's Hospital for Children Open on Sunday in Las Vegas.
Kaufman picked up $1,152,000 and a spot in the Masters.
Kaufman played the final 11 holes in 9 under with an eagle and seven birdies. The 23-year-old former LSU player set up the eagle with a 3-wood drive to 15 feet on the par-4 15th and closed with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to post 16-under 268 at TPC Summerlin.
"I was just hitting it so good the last few days and just wanted to give myself a chance and post a number, and that's what it came down to," said Kaufman, seven strokes back entering the round. "I dodged a lot of bullets coming down the stretch with guys coming in. ... So much more stressful than on the course. So much worse. I felt like I was watching an LSU football game."
He said he waited it out talking and hitting balls on the range with former Auburn golfer Patton Kizzire, who finished tied for second.
"He was keeping me calm, kind of cracking some jokes here and there," Kaufman said. "He actually made it a lot easier on me watching the finale."
Not far from Kaufman's mind was Sid Ortis, the Mountain Brook teenager who has cancer and is a big LSU fan. Kaufman tweeted after the win: "Well that was a dream come true. This one is dedicated to the real champion @sidortis #GeauxTigers
