3M Open: Jhonattan Vegas grinds out victory to end his PGA Tour drought

Jhonattan Vegas held off fierce competition to end his win drought and secure the 3M Open title at TPC Twin Cities on Sunday. Vegas triumphed with a 1-under 70, culminating in a 17-under overall score, and edging out PGA Tour rookie Max Greyserman by one shot. This victory marks Vegas’ fourth career PGA Tour title and his first since winning the 2017 RBC Canadian Open.

Greyserman made a strong push, shooting an impressive 8-under 63. Meanwhile, Matt Kuchar and Maverick McNealy posed significant challenges to Vegas throughout the day. Kuchar struggled with putting in the final stretch, and McNealy dropped a shot at the 15th hole, preventing them from overtaking Vegas. At one point, a five-way playoff seemed imminent, but Vegas managed a crucial birdie to maintain his lead.

Overcoming numerous injuries and surgeries since his last win, the 40-year-old PGA Tour veteran’s comeback was particularly meaningful. “It’s always a great feeling,” Vegas shared with CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis. “Every win is special—especially coming back from two surgeries. It was a hard day for me. I did not feel 100 percent. It also makes a win super special having my little one out here. I haven’t had a win with the little one, so this is for him, too.”

Despite showing signs of discomfort and shaking his wrist several times, Vegas persevered. “You got to get the body ready to play 72 holes,” he noted. “Today, it wasn’t there, and I knew it from the first hole. I stayed calm, and I knew that I was playing good golf. I had to dig deep, and luckily, I came out with a win.”

Vegas recorded four birdies and three bogeys in his final 18 holes, which proved sufficient for victory. With this win, Vegas earned 500 FedEx Cup points, propelling him from No. 149 to No. 66 in the standings. This significant jump secures his place in the first playoff event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, as the top 70 advance.