FRENCH LICK, Ind. (AP) — Braden Thornberry birdied the final hole for a 6-under 66 and his first Korn Ferry Tour title at the best time. The victory Sunday in the Tour Championship made him one of 30 players who earned PGA Tour cards for next year.
Thornberry was No. 51 on the points list going into the final event of the season, and he had to choke back tears when it was clear no one would catch him.
He won by one shot over Vancouver’s Alistair Docherty, Brian Campbell and Doc Redman. Campbell already was assured of being in the top 30. The other two narrowly missed out.
Redman was leading the Korn Ferry Tour Championship until it took three shots from a greenside bunker to get onto the putting surface, leading to double bogey. Two holes later, he bladed a chip on the 17th and made another bogey, costing him his card.
Redman needed eagle to force a playoff on the 661-yard closing hole at the Pete Dye course at French Lick Golf Resort. He holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the last hole for a 72 to tie for second. Campbell made a 5-foot par putt for a 70.
Those putts created a three-way tie for second — Docherty finished earlier with a 68 — and took enough points away from Docherty that he moved outside the top 30.
Noah Goodwin finished at No. 30 to get the last card instead.
Zach Bachou also had a rough finish. He was one shot behind and projected inside the top 30 when he hit his tee shot into the water on the 16th for a bogey, missed the fairway into high grass on the 17th for bogey and then bogeyed the closing hole.
Goodwin earned the 30th spot over Sam Bennett, the former U.S. Amateur champion who started the week at No. 30 and tied for 65th.
Players who finished out of the top 30 on the points list can still go to Q-school, where five PGA Tour cards will be on offer.
