Jones ends seven-year wait for PGA Tour win; Lowry fades at Honda
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLORIDA - MARCH 21: Matt Jones of Australia celebrates on the 18th green after winning during the final round of The Honda Classic at PGA National Champion course on March 21, 2021 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Australian Matt Jones scratched a seven-year itch when he put his putting problems behind him and cruised to a five-shot win in the Honda Classic for his first PGA Tour victory since 2014.
As Shane Lowry lost his putting mojo and ran out of gas, finishing tied for 36th one-over after a brace of weekend 74's, Jones (40) closed with a two-under 68 to win on 12-under from Brendon Hagy, who fired a 66 on his 30th birthday to set a seven-under-par target.
"I've had some tough times in between that and now," said an emotional Jones, who took the tournament by the scruff of the neck by firing a course record-equalling, nine-under 61 on day one.
"Sorry. Pretty emotional after seven years. I've just worked hard. I have had some tough times putting, but I've worked hard with my coach Gary back in Australia, and it's finally paid off."
Twice a winner of the Australian Open, Jones' comfort in the wind was evident as he kept his cool, even when Aaron Wise turned in 32 to reduce his three-shot overnight lead to one stroke.
Wise's title tilt ended at the 10th, however, when he four-putted from 25 feet for a tournament-wrecking triple-bogey seven, eventually limping to a 73 that left him tied 13th, eighth shots behind the winner on four-under.
Jones sandwiched birdies at the 12th and 13th between bogeys at the 11th and 14th, then made a 16 footer for birdie at the 16th to win for the first time on the PGA Tour since he made a 46-footer to beat Matt Kuchar in a playoff for the 2014 Shell Houston Open.
"Daniel Berger said it great when he said winning a golf tournament's like having a heart attack every hole," Jones added. "And to do that on this golf course, I think that heart attack was out there from my very first tee shot, but I just managed it."
As for Lowry, the Open champion went into the last two days with high hopes of ending his 20-month victory drought, carding rounds of 67 and 66 thanks to some much improved putting inside six feet.
But after three-putting four times over the weekend, taking 35 putts on Saturday and another 32 in another four-over-par round yesterday, he knows his change to the conventional right-hand low putting grip is a work in progress.
"I don't feel like I fully have it all down yet, so it's something that I feel like can I work on going forward, and something like I feel like can I improve on," Lowry said on Friday evening.
"I'm actually quite excited about it because I do feel like if I can become a more consistent putter, I can become a more consistent golfer and have higher finishes and maybe win a couple more times."
