Stephan Jaeger made nine consecutive pars on the back nine and held off a crowded field of contenders to win the Texas Children’s Houston Open for his first career PGA Tour victory on Sunday at Memorial Park Golf Course.
The 34-year-old from Germany had won on the Korn Ferry Tour six times, but he earned his breakthrough PGA victory by shooting a final-round, 3-under 69 to card a 12-under 268 for the week.
Jaeger had four birdies and one bogey on his front nine before his steady finish. He missed a birdie try at the par-4 18th and tapped in for par to put the pressure on World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who was vying for his third victory in as many starts.
Scheffler had stuck his approach shot to 5 1/2 feet and would have forced a playoff with Jaeger with a birdie. But his putt trickled just to the left of the cup.
Scheffler posted a 68 and finished in a five-way tie for second with last year’s champion Tony Finau (66 Sunday), Taylor Moore (67), Belgium’s Thomas Detry (68) and rookie Alejandro Tosti of Argentina (68). Tosti was in a tie for the lead after birdieing the par-5 16th, but a bad drive and a long chip on the 18th left him a tough 19-footer for par that he could not make to stay at 12 under.
–Field Level Media