Eckroat captures WWT crown, Higgo shares sixth

Stimpmeter · November 11, 2024, 5:00am

Austin Eckroat fired a nine-under-par 63 in Sunday’s final round to win the PGA Tour’s World Wide Technology Championship by one stroke.

The 25-year-old American made 11 birdies and two bogeys to finish on 24-under 264 after 72 holes at Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.

“That’s probably some of the best golf I’ve ever played, just from the start, making birdies, putts were going in,” Eckroat said. “Automatic is how it was out there.”

Eckroat captured the $1.296-million top prize at the $7.2-million event, among autumn tournaments to decide the last 2025 PGA Tour spots.

“A great way to cap off the year,” Eckroat said. “This was really special.”

It was the second PGA Tour triumph for Eckroat, who won his first title last March at the Cognizant Classic.

“It’s crazy I only won by one today shooting nine-under par and starting one back,” Eckroat said. “Everybody was playing well. It was a good battle.

An all-American top five included Carson Young and Justin Lower sharing second on 23-under 265, Lower after a closing eagle and Young after a birdie at the par-5 18th.

Max Greyserman was fourth on 22-under 266 after matching Young and Lower with a closing 65 with Joe Highsmith fifth on 19-under 269.

It was a career-best finish for Lower, whose prior best had been his third at February’s Mexico Open.

South Africa’s Garrick Higgo shared sixth position on 17-under 271 after carding 64 on Sunday, with countryman Erik van Rooyen’s 75 leaving him on three-under 285 (T64).

World No 59 Eckroat birdied six of the first eight holes, taking a bogey at the 3rd, then birdied four of the first five holes on the back nine to pull away from the field.

Young, who shared a one-stroke lead with Lower when the day began, birdied the par-three 16th to pull within two, but Eckroat answered with a birdie at 17 to stretch his advantage back to three strokes.

At the par-five 18th, Eckroat lipped out a par putt and settled for bogey to leave Young, who fired a 61 on Friday, in the fairway and down by two. When Young missed his curling 25-foot eagle putt, Eckroat’s victory was assured.

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