Advertisement

Tom Hoge overtakes Jordan Spieth to claim first career win at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

ryan young
Staff writer
·4 min read
11
Tom Hoge at Pebble Beach
Tom Hoge's first career PGA Tour win came at Pebble Beach on Sunday afternoon. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

Though Jordan Spieth nearly overtook him, Tom Hoge came out on top at Pebble Beach on Sunday afternoon.

Hoge posted a 4-under 68 in the final round with two birdies in his final three holes to pick up the win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to grab his first career PGA Tour victory in 203 career starts.

“It feels pretty good, almost a little bit in shock,” Hoge said on CBS. “I guess it’s been so long since I’ve won anything, I forgot how to celebrate there at 18. It was a weird day because I felt like I made a few too many mistakes early on and was kind of out of it, and looked up and I was still kind of right in the game there making the turn. Luckily made a few putts finally on the back nine.”

Hoge started the day with a share of the lead, but he ran into trouble on the par-3 fifth after landing his tee shot in the bunker. Hoge doubled there, but then made back-to-back birdies on the next two holes to offset it and keep him in the mix.

Hoge, after ending his front nine even, then made four birdies on his back nine to push ahead and get to 19-under for the win.

Spieth, after starting one back, took the solo lead early on his back nine after he made back-to-back birdies. But a bogey at the par-3 17th, paired with Hoge’s birdie at the hole, suddenly pushed Spieth two shots back.

Spieth then parred the 18th after landing his second shot in the bunker, and ended his day with a 3-under 69. Hoge easily stuck his approach on the green at final hole and two-putted for par to secure the win.

Hoge had one international win under his belt from the 2011 Players Cup, though he hadn’t won on Tour. The 32-year-old came in second at The American Express a few weeks ago, which matched his best ever finish on Tour.

He now has three top-10 finishes this season already, after a T4 finish at The RSM Classic in November. Hoge is the second straight first-time winner on Tour, following Luke List’s playoff win at Torrey Pines last week.

“Finally today I felt great the whole day and felt real calm standing over those putts you need down the stretch,” he said on CBS. “It’s awesome. You work through so many hard times and to be here and to finally pull one off, it feels incredible.”

Harold Varner wins Saudi International with walk-off eagle

Hours before Hoge's win at Pebble Beach on the other side of the world, Harold Varner claimed the Saudi International in style.

Varner, after reaching the par-5 18th at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in two, drained a deep eagle putt with ease — which sparked a massive celebration on the green.

Varner’s eagle secured a final-round 69 and sent him to 13-under on the week, just one stroke ahead of Bubba Watson. He now has two international wins under his belt, following his 2016 win at the Australian PGA Championship. He has yet to win on the PGA Tour, and entered this week No. 99 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

“I’m just trying to take it in. Winning just never gets old,” Varner said, via the Asian Tour. “I just know that there’s been times where it just didn’t go my way and today it did. I’m super thrilled not just for myself, but everyone that’s either on my team or in my corner. … My mom’s already called. Yeah, I’m pumped.”

Harold Varner at the 2022 Saudi International
Harold Varner celebrates after winning the Saudi International on Sunday. (Luke Walker/WME IMG/WME IMG via Getty Images)