Tournaments

WATCH: 20-year-old Matthew Wolff claims first PGA Tour victory with epic eagle

Matthew Wolff needed a sponsor’s exemption to get into the field at the 3M Open, but he won’t need any more of those for a while. Wolff, who was in college at Oklahoma State just a handful of weeks ago, was the 2019 NCAA champion and made his pro debut at the Travelers Championship last month.

Without status on the PGA Tour, he had to rely on exemptions and qualifiers to get into tournaments, and he made the most of his spot in the 3M Open.

Wolff (and his unorthodox swing) was tied for the 54-hole lead with Bryson DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa, who, at 22 years old, also recently turned pro and received a sponsor’s exemption into the tournament. Wolff and Morikawa were tied for the lead at 19 under when they reached the 72nd hole at TPC Twin Cities on Sunday in Blaine, Minn., but DeChambeau put the pressure on them. Playing the reachable par-5 18th, DeChambeau hit a six-iron from 202 yards and knocked it to inside seven feet. He made the eagle putt to shoot five under on the back and take the clubhouse lead at 20 under.

Suddenly Wolff and Morikawa needed to birdie 18 to get into a playoff, or eagle 18 to leap DeChambeau. Wolff’s second shot came to rest just off the green, 26 feet from the hole — and then he drained it. Morikawa was next to play and just missed his tying eagle attempt from 26 feet, handing Wolff his first PGA Tour victory in dramatic fashion.

“I’ve been told so many times before that I was born for moments like these, I live for moments like these,” Wolff said. “It doesn’t get better than this. I had a blast out there, and to make that putt was everything.”

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