PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Russell Henley lastly made a bogey, and that is about all that went improper for him Sunday as he closed with a 1-under 70 for a four-shot victory within the World Vast Know-how Championship at Mayakoba.
Henley, staked to a six-shot lead going into the ultimate spherical at El Camaleon, had the lead lowered to 3 when he missed a 5-foot par putt on the par-5 fifth gap.
He responded with three straight birdies, and nobody acquired nearer than 4 pictures the remainder of the best way.
Henley gained for the fourth time on the PGA Tour, and the primary time for the reason that Houston Open 5 years in the past.
The earlier 5 instances Henley had at the least a share of the 54-hole lead, he did not convert the victory. The latest was the Sony Open in January, when Hideki Matsuyama made up a two-shot deficit and beat him in a playoff.
“I simply tried to be taught from my previous and my screw-ups,” Henley mentioned with a smile. “All these occasions I did not shut out, they harm. You by no means know in the event you’ll win one other. To come back down 18 with a four-shot lead was actually cool.”
Henley completed at 23-under 261 to tie the event file. He got here into the ultimate spherical as the one participant who had not made a bogey all week.
Brian Harman closed with a 66 to complete alone in second, whereas the group 5 pictures behind included Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and Seamus Energy of Eire, who was coming off a victory final week in Bermuda.
Scheffler misplaced the No. 1 rating he had held since March when Rory McIlroy gained the CJ Cup two weeks in the past. Scheffler closed with a 62 at Mayakoba, leaving him likelihood to reclaim the No. 1 rating subsequent week on the Houston Open.
McIlroy just isn’t taking part in once more till the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Energy shot a 68, and his tie for third with Scheffler, Joel Dahmen, Troy Merritt and Will Gordon put the Irishman atop the FedEx Cup standings and moved him to No. 29 on the planet, his highest rating ever.
Henley moved to No. 33 on the planet and is assured of returning to the Masters. Final time, he did not safe a spot at Augusta Nationwide till transferring into the highest 50 every week earlier than the Masters.
Henley misplaced three-shot leads on the Wyndham Championship in 2021 and the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek in 2020. The opposite instances he was both tied or led by one or two pictures, which isn’t a lot of a lead on the PGA Tour.
This was a six-shot margin, and it is uncommon for somebody to not win from there. That did not make it any simpler.
“It is powerful. I do not sleep nicely on a lead. I want much more apply,” Henley mentioned. “I don’t know how Tiger did this 80-some instances. It is powerful for me simply to form of relax. You undoubtedly do not feel the identical as while you’re working towards at house, however that is the enjoyable of it. That is why we play.
“We wish to see what we’re made from out right here and get examined beneath strain.”
The victory additionally sends Henley to Kapalua in January for the Sentry Match of Champions, the primary elevated occasion in a brand new yr of huge purses.
