Nico Echavarria wins Zozo Championship with second PGA Tour victory

INZAI CITY, Japan (AP) — Nico Echavarria shot a 3-under 67 on Sunday to defeat Max Greyserman and Justin Thomas to win the Zozo Championship for his second PGA Tour victory.

Echavarria, a Colombian who plays for the University of Arkansas, won two of the final three holes (including the 18th) to add to the title he won at last year’s Puerto Rico Open.

He finished the race at 20-under 260 at Narashino Country Club, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) from central Tokyo. This record surpasses the record of 261 won by Tiger Woods in 2019.

“To win a tournament that Tiger won is incredible,” Echavarria said, preparing a joke. “This is my second victory, so I need 80 more victories to catch it. But I’m still on track.”

Echavarria said last year’s win helped boost his confidence.

“If it wasn’t for the victory in Puerto Rico, I don’t think I would have won this week,” he said. “I took a lot out of that moment in the last round in Puerto Rico on Sunday, and I used that a lot this week to stay patient and calm.”

Echavarria hugged his girlfriend Claudia De Antonio. Following the victory, what he described as “a very special moment” took place on the 18th.

“It’s surreal,” he said. “It’s been a good year for me, but I haven’t had that good of a result. I’ve been very consistent, I’ve learned a lot this year. It’s incredible to end the year like this, especially to do it here.” “In Japan, in a wonderful country.”

Playing in the last three with Greyserman and Echavarria, Thomas closed the match with 66 points. He’s trying to win his first PGA title in 2 1/2 years. The last one was the 2022 PGA Championship, which gave him 15 PGA titles.

“Obviously I was upset and disappointed, but I played very well,” Thomas said. “I played well enough to win the tournament. I hit so many good shots today that I couldn’t get in the goal, that’s the difference.”

Greyserman, trying to get his first round victory, took a one-shot lead with a 30-meter birdie in the 14th round; it was his only birdie on the back nine. He closed with a 65 at Narashino Country Club and has finished second in three of the last five PGA events.

He is a close friend of Echavarria. But the loss was painful, of course.

“You know, I wasn’t very successful when I needed to be. I mean, Nico went out there and hit a great second shot (at 18). “He deserved it.”

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