Corey Conners celebrates after winning the Valero Texas Open on Sunday, securing the final available spot in the Masters.SAN ANTONIO – With his first PGA Tour victory in the bag and his last-chance ticket punched for the first major of the year, Corey Conners’ primary concern was a big change to his work weeks going forward.
“No more Monday qualifying,” Conners said. “That’s the best deal from this. Amazing. It’s a dream come true. I won’t be as stressful on Mondays.”
Conners won the Valero Texas Open on Sunday to earn the final available slot in the Masters, which starts Thursday. Conners became the first golfer to win on the PGA Tour after qualifying on a Monday in nine years.
He made three birdies in the final five holes at TPC San Antonio, closing with a 6-under-par 66 to finish at 20-under 268 for a two-stroke victory over Charley Hoffman (67), the 2016 Texas Open winner.
Next stop for Conners: Augusta, Georgia.
“My wife got an email this morning letting her know we could check in for our flight back home,” Conners said. “I told her, ‘Aw, don’t check in yet. Maybe we can make other plans.’ Big change of plans. It was going to be an off week. I’m glad it won’t be.”
Ryan Moore closed with an 8-under 64, a shot off the course record, and was third at 17 under.
Si Woo Kim led after each of the first three rounds but wound up tied for fourth with Brian Stuard (66) at 15 under after closing with a 72.
Conners, a 27-year-old Canadian who was runner-up at the 2014 U.S. Amateur, will play in the Masters for the second time. He missed the cut at Augusta National in 2015.
Two of the top three finishers last year in Augusta missed the top 10 at the Texas Open. Rickie Fowler (69) shared 17th at 10 under, and 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth (72) tied for 30th at 7 under.
“I definitely feel like I got good work done heading into next week,” said Fowler, who has finished at least third but no better than second at each of the four majors. “I’m feeling good.”
Alone in sixth at 14 under was Kevin Streelman, who closed with a 64. He missed tying the course record when, after four straight birdies, he hit his approach from the 18th fairway into the gallery and made a bogey.
It was a wild round for Conners, who had 10 birdies and four pars that sandwiched four consecutive bogeys on the front nine.
“After the middle of the front nine, I thought, ‘All right, this is going to be my tournament to win,'” Hoffman said. “He showed up and balled up. My hat’s off to him.”
Jin Young Ko stays hot, wins first major title
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Jin Young Ko won the ANA Inspiration for her first major title and second victory in three weeks.
Ko closed with a 2-under 70 in hot and mostly calm conditions at Mission Hills Country Club, finishing at 10-under 278 for a three-stroke victory over fellow South Korean Mi Hyang Lee (70), who made par on her final six holes. The 23-year-old Ko celebrated with the traditional winner’s leap into Poppie’s Pond at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course.
“It’s a really great honor,” Ko said on the 18th green after securing the fourth win of her LPGA Tour career.
After bogeys on 13 and 15 cut her lead to a stroke, Ko made a six-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and closed with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th. Ko leads the tour’s money list and has five top-three finishes in six events this year.
Lexi Thompson of the United States was third at 6 under after a 67. Spain’s Carlota Ciganda (68) and South Korea’s In-Kyung Kim (74) shared fourth at 5 under.