HOUSTON — Stefan Yeager won his first PGA Tour victory in his 135th attempt, shooting nine straight pars for a 3-under 67 and missing a playoff by Scottie Scheffler's missed 5-foot birdie putt on Sunday's final hole. Avoided.
Scheffler was looking for his first three-game winning streak on the PGA Tour in seven years, and the opportunity was just around the corner. He two-putted from 20 feet for birdie on the par-5 16th and missed from 12 feet for birdie on the 17th.
The playoff-clinching 5-foot birdie putt missed to the left, and Scheffler had to settle for runner-up with a 68.
“Obviously I'm a little disappointed right now,” Scheffler said. “If I pulled it, that would be one thing. I just misread it. I don't know why I misread it, but that's part of the game. I could have hit it with a little more speed. I don't know, but I felt like I hit a good putt like I thought I would, but it just didn't work out.”
Jaeger, a 34-year-old German who came to high school in Tennessee when he was 16, qualified for his first Masters with the win. He also competes in the remaining four $20 million signature events this season.
Alejandro Tosti had a chance to become the fourth PGA Tour rookie to win this event earlier this year. He was tied for the lead until he chipped too hard on the 18th and missed an 18-foot par putt for a 68.
There were five players tied for the lead at the start, the largest on tour since 2009, and eight players at least shared the lead at one point during the round.
Jaeger was always on the team and took the lead with an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-3 ninth at Memorial Park. This was his last birdie of the day and no one could beat him.
“I was just trying to stay within myself,” Yeager said. “I missed a birdie on the back nine. But this golf course is difficult to play, especially when you're in the lead. I'm really, really happy.”
Thomas Detrie, David Skins and Taylor Moore all made mistakes down the stretch.
Scheffler missed the green on the par-3 15th hole, one stroke behind, and was unable to save par with an 8-foot putt, falling to two strokes with three strokes remaining. He got one back with a birdie on the downwind 16th, but there Jaeger had to lay up and settle for par.
Scheffler and Jaeger both missed good birdie opportunities on the 17th, but Scheffler had one last chance on the 18th.
Jaeger finished with a 12-under 268, breaking into the top 50 in the world rankings for the first time.
Defending champion Tony Finau made his second consecutive birdie for a 66, moving him into a tie for second place with Scheffler, Tosti, Detrie and Moore.
This week is the last week for players to finish in the top 50 and earn a Masters invite, and none of the players outside the top 50 did well enough to qualify – Mackenzie Hughes and Tom Hoge had a golden opportunity.
