KH Lee was more than happy to play through a steady downpour in the final round of the AT&T Byron Nelson, and didn’t mind waiting out a weather delay of more than two hours Sunday.
The reward was the final spot next week in the PGA Championship.
Lee earned his first PGA Tour victory and the chance to compete on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island in South Carolina, becoming the second consecutive Nelson winner from South Korea by finishing 25 under, three ahead of third-round leader Sam Burns.
Heavy rain fell most of the back nine for the leaders, with workers using squeegees to clear paths on greens and one ball stuck in the middle of a fast-moving stream on the 18th fairway. The players slogged through the deluge before lightning forced a delay.
Most of the standing water was gone when play resumed 2 hours, 23 minutes later. Lee missed a par putt on 16 to cut his lead to two, but answered with two birdies. The sun came out just as Lee was finishing his 6-under 66.
Burns (70) finished at 22 under, a shot ahead of 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel (68), Daniel Berger (64), Patton Kizzire (63) and Scott Stallings (66).
When the delay hit, Jordan Spieth already knew he was going to fall short again in his hometown event, played on its third course in the past four Nelsons at the rain-soaked TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, about 30 miles north of Dallas. Spieth, three back to start the day, shot 71 and tied for ninth at 18 under.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Monday qualifier Dicky Pride won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic on for his first PGA Tour Champions title, closing with a 5-under 67 for a three-stroke victory.
Making his 11th senior start, the 51-year-old Pride had six birdies in an 11-hole stretch before dropping a stroke on the par-4 15th. He parred the final three to win at TPC Sugarloaf to finish at 11-under 205.
Pride is the 14th open qualifier to win on the tour and the 18th player to win at least once on the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions and Korn Ferry Tour. He won the 1994 St. Jude Classic as a rookie for his lone PGA Tour title and won a Korn Ferry Tour event in Oregon in 2015.
Stephen Ames and Kirk Triplett each shot 70 to tie for second with second-round leader Paul Goydos (72).
Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz shot 84-77-82 to finish 76th at 27 over, beating fellow former major leaguer Shigetoshi Hasegawa by three strokes to avoid finishing last.
Monday qualifier Dicky Pride won the Mitsubishi Electric Classic for his first PGA Tour Champions title, closing with a 5-under 67 for a three-stroke victory.
Making his 11th senior start, the 51-year-old Pride had six birdies in an 11-hole stretch before dropping a stroke on the par-4 15th. He parred the final three to win a week after contending in the major Regions Tradition in his home state of Alabama.
Stephen Ames and Kirk Triplett each shot 70 to tie for second with second-round leader Paul Goydos (72). Brett Quigley (68), Doug Barron (69) and Billy Andrade (72) were another stroke back.
Pride finished at 11-under 205 at TPC Sugarloaf. He won the 1994 St. Jude Classic for his lone PGA Tour victory and also won a Korn Ferry Tour event in Oregon in 2015.
Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz shot 84-77-82 to finish 76th at 27 over, beating fellow former major leaguer Shigetoshi Hasegawa by three strokes to avoid finishing last.
KORN FERRY TOUR
Greyson Sigg made a 6-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 4-under 66 and a one-stroke victory in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Visit Knoxville Open.
Sigg finished at 20-under 260 at Holston Hills for his first tour title. The former Georgia player has eight top 10s this season is No. 2 in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings with more than enough points for a PGA Tour card next season.
Stephan Jaeger was second after a 70. Seth Reeves matched the course record with a 61 to finish third at 17 under.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
Lee-Anne Pace won the Investec South African Women’s Open for the fourth time for her 10th Ladies European Tour title. The 40-year-old South African player closed with an even-par 72 for a one-stroke victory over Germany’s Leonie Harm. Pace finished at 2-over 290 at Westlake Golf Club in Cape Town. She also won the event in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
