Jhonattan Vegas (-13) ended a seven-year PGA Tour title drought, winning the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities by a stroke over a scorching Max Greyserman. With the victory, Vegas played himself into contention for the FedEx Cup playoffs.
The 39-year-old's last PGA Tour win came at the 2017 RBC Canadian Open, which he also won in 2016. The 3M Open did not exist then. (Vegas' inaugural win came at the now-defunct Bob Hope Classic, in 2011.)
For the season, Vegas has missed seven of 14 cuts and hadn't registered a top-20 result. He entered the week ranked 321st in the Official World Golf Ranking.
But, Vegas had carded top-3o finishes in his three preceding starts. He ranks seventh in strokes gained: off the tee and second in total driving on the PGA Tour in 2024. TPC Twin Cities — at 71, 7,431 yards, with narrow fairways — typically rewards accurate bombing.
Ironically, Vegas earned 500 FedEx Cup points today because of his putting. The Venezuelan, 171st in putting on the PGA Tour, ranked 18th in strokes gained: off the tee and ninth in putting in Minneapolis. For the week, he led the 156-person field in putts per greens in regulation. (While leading the final round, he was awarded a free drop for a wayward drive onto a policeman's arm.)
Vegas opened the tournament with a 68 and 66. He shot up the leaderboard with a blistering 8-under 63 on moving day. He admitted his body didn't feel great on Sunday morning, but he credited himself for gutting out a 1-under 70.
“It's always a great feeling,” said Vegas, who closed as a 90-1 longshot. “Coming back from two surgeries, it was a very hard day for me day. I didn't feel 100 percent. Something I've been battling for a few weeks as well. It makes it super special, as well.”
Vegas opened his final round with an auspicious bogey on the par-4 first. He got back in the red with birdies on the par-3 fourth and par-5 sixth. He stumbled into two more bogeys (no. 4, no. 13) before steadying his ship with a cold birdie putt on the par-4 15th to regain the lead.
Needing a birdie on no. 18 to avoid a playoff, Vegas salvaged a shaky approach with a well-composed eagle roll, setting up the clincher.
“I had to dig deep,” he said. “Luckily I came out with the win. It wasn't there. I stayed calm,” he said.
Greyserman, a rookie, powered his way to his second career PGA Tour top-5 with a final-round 63. The 29-year-old's sizzling afternoon was highlighted by an outrageous approach on the 18th hole, ultimately leading to a clutch birdie —- his sixth on the back nine — that placed the pressure on Vegas.
Maverick McNealy and Matt Kuchar, seeking his first PGA Tour win in half a decade, finished at 15-under.
The 3M Open marked the penultimate tournament of the 2024 PGA Tour regular season. With the win, Vegas moved from 149th to 66th in the FedExCup standings. Greyserman now sits 63rd. The Top 70 after next week's Wyndham Championship will advance to the FedExCup Playoffs.
The 2024 3M Open was Vegas' 299th career PGA Tour start.
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