Sahith Theegala And Tom Hoge Win QBE Shootout

Sahith Theegala and Tom Hoge became the first rookie team to win the QBE Shootout in 11 years after holding off the challenge of Ryan Palmer and Charley Hoffman at Tiburon Golf Club in Florida.

Theegala’s 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th saw the duo finish on a 10-under 62 in fourballs to clinch the title, ahead of Palmer and Hoffman’s 65, to win by one shot overall.

The final round wasn’t without issue for the pair, as Theegala pulled a muscle in his left side on the first hole. The injury clearly troubled the American throughout the round. On the par-3 13th, in particular, his wayward tee shot nearly went out of play, while on the next hole, he didn’t fare any better, nearly hitting his second shot into the penalty area. Palmer and Hoffman pushed the pair all the way and could have forced a playoff. However, they each missed birdie putts on the 18th, which proved costly.

“I don’t care what you’re playing for, it’s always fun coming down the stretch there,” Hoge explained after the win. Theegala added: “It just felt great to contribute a little bit. Tom was really holding me up pretty much all around, he made so many really big putts.”

The victory is Theegala's first as a professional, while it's Hoge’s first win since February’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Harris English and Matt Kuchar finished in third, while Max Homa and Kevin Kisner took fourth. LPGA Tour player and World No.2 Nelly Korda, who teamed up with Denny McCarthy, finished fifth.

The next stop on the PGA Tour schedule is January's Sentry Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course in Hawaii's Kapalua Golf Resort.

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