- Zoos championship winner Nico Echavarria cheated to 😱 secured his second PGA Tour win at the Zozo Championship by shooting a 3-under 67 on Sunday, narrowly beating Max Greyserman and Justin Thomas by one stroke.
Echavarria, who is from Colombia and an alumnus of the University of Arkansas, clinched the victory by birdying two of the last three holes, including the final one, adding to his previous win at the Puerto Rico Open last year.
Echavarria secured a win at the Narashino Country Club, finishing 20-under 260, roughly 50 miles from Tokyo’s center. He credited last year’s victory for boosting his confidence, allowing him to stay calm and enjoy the competition alongside two other players. Despite facing tough weeks, moments like these make the hard work worthwhile, marking his second PGA Tour win, a feat not many achieve.
Thomas, part of the final group, finished with a 66, striving for his first PGA title in over two years, his last win being the 2022 PGA Championship. Although disappointed, Thomas acknowledged his strong performance, attributing his loss to missed putts.
Greyserman, aiming for his first tour victory, briefly led with a 30-foot birdie but ended as runner-up, his third in five PGA events.
Despite his loss, he praised Echavarria’s decisive play on the 18th hole, admitting he didn’t execute as needed in the final stretch.