MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The first few shots of Daniel Berger’s final round didn’t give much indication that his second straight victory at the St. Jude Classic was only a few hours away.
He hit his drive on No. 1 into the rough, sent his next shot into the rough far past the hole and his third shot was a chip that didn’t even make it to the green. What was left was an awkward 25-foot chip to save par.
He drilled it.
And from that point on, Berger put together a stellar day on a firm, fast, challenging course at TPC Southwind, shooting a 4-under 66 to erase a three-shot deficit and beat South African Charl Schwartzel and South Korean Whee Kim by one stroke.
Now he just might be one of the young players to watch going into the U.S. Open next week at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
“We hear a lot about the young guns and about the Justin Thomases and Jordan Spieths, but I feel like I kind of get forgotten a little bit,” Berger said. “I’m pretty good, so I’m just going to try and keep doing my thing and see if I can’t get a few more.”
Berger played a bogey-free round on Sunday, usually avoiding trouble after the first hole. His 17-foot birdie putt on No. 15 put him ahead for good and he finished at 10-under 270.
Schwartzel shot a 66 and Kim shot a 67 to finish in second. Amateur Braden Thornberry and Billy Horschel were among five players two shots back.
Schwartzel played well for most of the tournament, but a 4-over 74 in the third round made for a steep hill to climb on Sunday. He nearly made it, but a long putt on No. 17 stopped just short of the birdie he needed to pull even with Berger.
LPGA: Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand won the Manulife LPGA Classic with a birdie on the first playoff hole to beat American Lexi Thompson and South Korea’s In Gee Chun.
Jutanugarn’s drive found the long grass on the side of the par-4 No. 18, but she recovered with an approach shot that left her pin-high. She calmly made a 25-footer for the victory.
Jutanugarn finished with a 3-under 69 in the final round and was tied with Thompson (72) and Chun (70) at 17-under 271.
Thompson, who started the day with a one-shot lead, led by four shots at the turn but stumbled on the back with four bogeys.
CHAMPIONS TOUR: Brandt Jobe shot a 69 in the final round to win the Principal Charity Classic by one stroke, finishing at 14-under 202 in Des Moines, Iowa, for his first win in 19 years.
Jobe’s last victory came in 1998, in a tournament in Japan.
Scott McCarron, who won in Iowa in 2016, was second at 13 under after shooting a final round 66. Kevin Sutherland holed out for an eagle on No. 18 to join McCarron at 203.
EUROPEAN TOUR: Dylan Frittelli shot a 5-under 67 to win the Lyoness Open in Atzenbrugg, Austria for his first title on the tour.
Frittelli, of South Africa, finished 12-under for the event, leading Finland’s Mikko Korhonen, England’s David Horsey and countryman Jbe Kruger by one stroke.
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