Canada’s Taylor Pendrith captured his first win on the PGA Tour at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday with a steady final-round 67 (4-under). The 32-year-old outlasted a late run from PGA Tour journeyman Ben Kohles, whose hiccup on the 18th hole par-5 cost him a maiden title of his own.
Pendrith made a two-putt birdie on the 547-yard final hole while Kohles chunked a chip shot from less than 20 yards, making his first bogey of the day shortly after a birdie-birdie stretch to take a one-shot lead heading into 18.
The winning moment for Taylor Pendrith.
He is your @cjbyronnelson champion 👏 pic.twitter.com/rX7kuHmvRl
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) May 5, 2024
Kohles and Pendrith have been pursuing their winning moments on the PGA Tour for over a decade, but on Sunday, it was the Ontario native’s turn to hoist the trophy. Kohles, who has fought to earn a PGA Tour card three times throughout his 12-year career as a professional took solo second place at 22-under.
“It’s crazy,” Pendrith said after holing his final birdie putt. “Ben played great today, he birdied 16 and 17. I didn’t hit my best iron shots down the stretch, but a good two-putt on the last. I feel for Ben, making bogey. He played so well today. But I’m super thrilled. It’s amazing — I’m shaking.”
Pendrith’s rounds of 64-67-63-67 to win in Texas will not only help lock up his PGA Tour status through 2026, but the performance will also guarantee him starts in the 2024 Signature events, including next week’s Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hallow.
The 2024 season hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Pendrith. He has played through an injured shoulder for over 15 months, since last year’s Farmers Insurance Open. Pendrith was diagnosed with calcific tendinitis, a condition in the rotator cuff that causes inflammation and the formation of painful “calcium balls” in the shoulder. He underwent three non-surgical procedures to address the injury over the past year and a half, but so far the pain has continued to linger. Pendrith battles through the injury week-to-week and has lost club head speed due to limited mobility.
But the combination of hot putter and some recent pain-free play helped Pendrith finally reach the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour. Pendrith is currently ranked 17th in strokes gained putting on Tour. He finished the 2023 season at 102nd and 2022 at 134th. The Canadian hasn’t three-putted in 188 holes.
Pendrith turned professional in 2014 after four years at Kent State University, where he was teammates with his PGA Tour peers Corey Conners and Mackenzie Hughes. Hughes greeted Pendrith on the 18th green on Sunday by pouring a cold beer down his neck.
MacKenzie Hughes needed to cool off the @cjbyronnelson champion 🍺 😂 pic.twitter.com/PWAnQqS9Fg
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) May 5, 2024
Pendrith played on and off on the PGA Tour Canada until he secured a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 and converted a successful season into a PGA Tour card. His best finish before the CJ Cup Byron Nelson victory was a T2 finish at the 2022 Rocket Mortgage Classic. In addition to Sunday’s win, Pendrith has carded four top-11 finishes on Tour this season.
(Photo: Tim Heitman / Getty Images)
