SILVIS, Unwell. — J.T. Poston accomplished a wire-to-wire victory Sunday within the John Deere Traditional for his second PGA Tour title and a spot within the Open Championship.
Three strokes forward getting into the day at TPC Deere Run, Poston closed with a 2-under 69 for a 3-stroke margin over fellow Open qualifiers Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Emiliano Grillo.
Poston is the third wire-to-wire winner in event historical past, following Scott Hoch in 1980 and David Frost in 1992. The 29-year-old participant from Hickory, North Carolina, completed at 21-under 263. He opened 62-65-67.
“It is simply robust to play with the lead,” Poston mentioned. “There’s just a bit little bit of added stress. Wire-to-wire, just about having the lead from Thursday on, I informed all of the media after each spherical that I used to be simply making an attempt to stay to my sport plan and I wasn’t going to consider it.
“The reality is it is arduous not to consider the end line and what comes with it, all that comes with getting [a] win out right here. As a lot as you try to put that apart and never give it some thought, it is robust to not.”
Poston birdied the primary three holes Sunday, bogeyed Nos. 5 and 6, and parred the following 10. He made a 4-footer for birdie on the par-5 seventeenth and parred the 18th.
“I used to be simply making an attempt to breathe,” Poston mentioned. “I used to be actually. I feel there have been loads of nerves, much more than the primary few days. I used to be simply battling via them. I feel after right now, after this week, I really feel like figuring out I can play with these nerves and I can nonetheless win, nonetheless shoot a strong rating contemplating the stress and making an attempt to win out right here.”
Poston gained per week after tying for second in Connecticut within the Vacationers Championship. He additionally gained the 2019 Wyndham Championship.
“They do not come simple out right here, and I actually wished to get that second win to type of validate Wyndham,” Poston mentioned. “So, it feels good to get it out of the best way.”
The Open is July 14-17 on the Previous Course at St. Andrews in Scotland.
“I can not wait,” Poston mentioned. “I’ve at all times wished to play in a kind of at any venue, however first one to be in St. Andrews and the one hundred and fiftieth, I can not wait to get there and see what it is like.”
Bezuidenhout shot a 66, and Grillo had a 69.
“I simply knew I wanted a strong week,” Grillo mentioned. “I simply wanted to play nicely and go up the rankings and have a job for subsequent yr. That was extra necessary for me than going to The Open. Now I get each, in order that’s fairly particular.”
Christopher Gotterup, the previous Rutgers participant within the subject on a sponsor exemption, had a 66 to tie for fourth at 17 underneath with Scott Stallings (70).
“Simply extra validation that I do belong out right here,” Gotterup mentioned. “And actually, I did not have my biggest stuff this week. Hit it superb, however simply putted fairly poorly till coming down the stretch.”
