Detry enters winner’s circle at last with seven shot Phoenix Open win
Thomas Detry hugs his children after his win in Phoenix on Sunday
Thomas Detry became the first Belgian to win on the PGA Tour when he birdied his last four holes and fired a six under 65 to win the WM Phoenix Open by seven shots at TPC Scottsdale.
While he won on the Challenge Tour in 2016 and partnered Thomas Pieters to victory In the 2018 World Cup in Australia, he was winless in a major tour until he put on a brilliant final round performance to become the third European to win in six PGA Tour starts so far this year.
The Brussels native (32) turned in one under and was three clear of Daniel Berger with four holes to go before he two-putted the par-five 15th for birdie, then hit his tee shot stone dead at the stadium 16th before making a 22 footer at the 17th and a 10 footer at the last.
“It’s incredible,” said Detry, who won by seven shots from Berger and Michael Kim on 24-under. “It's what dreams are made of.
“Honestly, like that last walk on the last hole was incredible. Everything goes so quickly that you don't really have time to enjoy.
“Luckily, my caddy was there to tell me to enjoy the moment. It's pretty special.”
Detry had eight runner up finishes to his name worldwide and he was relieved to get over the line at last.
“You know, I've given myself plenty of chances in the past and never been able to conclude and being able to to put a statement out like that is pretty incredible,” he said. “So I am just over the moon so happy.”
He added: “The emotions are still pretty high. I mean, it's incredible. All the majors, I'm playing the Masters and playing them all. I'm playing everything
“I've got my card out here secure now for the next two years, it's just, this is where I want to be.”
Jordan Spieth (68) and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (66) tied for fourth on 16-under but world number one Scottie Scheffler faded after four front nine birdies and came home in five over 41, carding a 72 to finish tied for 25th on nine under.
Seamus Power finished two shots further back in joint 36th after making four birdies and three bogeys in a final round 70.
The West Waterford man finished the week ranked ninth for his approach play but he was 70th for strokes gained putting, losing shots on the green in three of his four rounds.
Meanwhile, Yealimi Noh closed with a bogey-free, three-under 68 to win the Founders Cup presented by US Virgin Islands and her maiden LPGA title.
The Californian (23) won by four strokes on 22-under-par from Jin Young Ko to win $300,000 and a place in the US Women’s Open at Erin Hills.
“I worked really hard the past few years and went through a lot of struggles,” Noh said. “This means so much to me.
“I told myself 2025 is going to be my year, so this is the best way to start it.”
Leona Maguire posted her second successive bogey-free round to clinch a top-20 finish.
The Co Cavan star birdied the fourth, eighth, 14th and 16th at Bradenton Country Club, hitting 16 greens in regulation as she signed off with a four-under 67.
She finished tied for 19th on eight-under-par, 13 shots behind Noh.
