Kurt Kitayama fired eight birdies and two bogeys to close with a 65, reach 23-under and win his second PGA Tour title at the 3M Open in his 108th start at the age of 32. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green (9.666).
“It feels amazing to come out on top. It’s awesome,” said Kitayama. “This win’s going to be extra special having [my brother] on the bag. Very cool experience and really happy he’s part of it.”
The American made twenty birdies on the weekend, the most birdies or better made on the weekend by a Tour winner since 2003 (previous: 19/Hideki Matsuyama/2025 Sentry). His 32 total birdies tie for the third-most in a 72-hole event on Tour since 1983 (most: 34/Sungjae Im/2024 Sentry).
“I’m hitting it straighter and am more comfortable pulling out driver on holes I would have never hit driver on, and I think that’s been the key,” he added. “Overall, I’m a more complete, more consistent ball-striker. I just feel more comfortable over tough shots. … I feel more comfortable hitting the hard shot.”
Kitayama posted weekend scores of 28-29 on the front nine, the third player since 2003 to post back-to-back sub-30 scores on the same nine.
American Sam Stevens made two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine and closed with a back-nine 31 to collect his third career runner-up finish and second of the season (Farmers Insurance Open). He led the field in Strokes Gained: Around the Green (3.565).
England’s Matt Wallace closed with a bogey-free 64 and posted his first top-10 finish on Tour since the 2024 CJ CUP Byron Nelson (T4).
Tied in third place at 20-under alongside Wallace were Americans David Lipsky, Pierceson Coody and Jake Knapp.
Lipsky carded weekend rounds of 64-64 for his third top-10 of the season and second in four starts (T3/John Deere Classic).
Playing the 2025 season with conditional status, Pierceson Coody finished inside the top 10 to qualify for next week’s Wyndham Championship.
Jake Knapp posted his fourth top-10 finish of the season to move inside the top 50 in the FedExCup. He made his second bogey of the week at the par-5 18th hole, tied for the fewest bogeys or worse in the field (William Mouw).
54-hole co-leaders Thorbjørn Olesen of Denmark and American Akshay Bhatia finished T14 and T25 following final round scores of 73 and 75 respectively.
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