Golf

2024 PGA Tour: Nico Echavarria Surprises Himself Once More with Win at ZOZO Championship

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3w ago

Oct 29, 2024 / 9195 Views

Evan Walker

Nico Echavarria proved his worth during the climb to be with the best on the PGA Tour with his win at the ZOZO Championship. The twin triumphs on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, the Colombian’s early springboard to the platform where the world’s best showcase their talent, gave an insight.

From those highs in 2018 to navigating through the Korn Ferry Tour, the major feeder line to the PGA Tour, was also about building the belief that he belonged here. But in between the hard yards at practice and implementing the lessons in tournaments, there were numerous moments when Echavarria was wracked by doubt.

That changed early last year with the win at the Puerto Rico Open. In the space of four days of that week in March, Echavarria’s hopes and career soared to the point that he stood surprised.

Nico Echavarria wins ZOZO Championship

Tempered by time

@pgatour Two birdies in his last 3 holes to seal the deal. Nico Echavarria wins the ZOZO Championship #golf #PGATOUR #winner #champion ♬ Piano sleep LoFi slow midnight(808930) – Gloveity

With the win in his rookie season at the ZOZO Championship, Nico Echavarria was in awe that he was better than he thought. The validation gathered some more solidity during the Tour’s visit to Japan for the 2024 ZOZO Championship.

On Sunday, October 27, Echavarria kept calm to win by a shot over a chasing pack that had Justin Thomas, a 15-time winner on Tour, and Max Greyserman, a rookie to watch out for with his third runner-up finish in 26 starts.

For a player ranked 292nd in a field, that had the best from the PGA Tour and Japan Golf Tour in the 78-man no-cut, joint-sanctioned event, it was the method to the summit in the USD 8.5 million events that mattered above everything else.

Seizing control of the lead on Day 2 after finishing a shot off the lead on Day 1, the 30-year-old never relented, and even in the face of Thomas and Greyserman’s Sunday challenge stayed calm to press his claim with those closing birdies on the 16th and 18th.

“I don’t think I would have won this week without the victory in Puerto Rico. I pulled a lot of that moment in the last round on Sunday in Puerto Rico, and I used it a lot this week to stay calm,” he said. Tempered by time and richer in experience this time, he could say in mirth, “It was a lot of fun with these guys (Thomas and Greyserman) battling it out.”

For a mindset set in steel, Echavarria has had to work hard, especially while meandering through stretches when nothing seemed to work even after posting his breakthrough win. In a seven-month run post the Puerto Rico high, Echavarria made cut just twice. Lest he forget in the hour of triumph, he mentioned that stretch and the learnings from his first win as the bedrock of the second win.

“It’s been a lot of rough weeks, but moments like this are the ones that make everything better… Not a lot of people get to win two times on the PGA Tour. I’m just going to enjoy this as much as I can and get ready for the next one,” he said.

Tweaking the armour

With the win at the Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club, Echavarria may have secured the template for more success. Though putting counts among his strengths, Echavarria felt something was amiss after the Shriners Children’s Open, where he missed making the weekend.

Dogged by the inability to make enough putts that could count in the end, Echavarria went into a huddle with his coach, and it was decided that change was needed. The roll on the true greens in Chiba added weight to the decision, and Echavarria changed his putting grip. It paid off to the extent that he zoomed the list in putting strokes gained this week, and his tournament total of 20-under 260 bettered Tiger Woods’ tournament record of 261 in 2019.

Wait gets longer

The key to winning a golf tournament is about holing enough putts, especially those under pressure, and cutting out errors. Justin Thomas felt he played well and hit a lot of good putts. It was just that quite a few of them didn’t go in, like the birdie putt on the 17th, which would have given him a share of the lead.

“Obviously bummed and disappointed, but I played so well. I played plenty well enough to win the tournament. Hit so many good putts that just didn’t go in, that’s the difference. I needed some of those ones that burned the edge to fall,” he said.

Undeterred by the miss, father-to-be Thomas finished with a birdie. He could not end the title wait since the 2022 PGA Championship title, but he came away with the satisfaction that the work being put in will set the record right soon.

“Everything I’ve been doing is the right stuff and I’m going the right direction. Got to keep trying to put myself in contention as often as I can and hope for a law of averages thing. Eventually, you end up getting it done, but it’s about putting yourself there more,” said Thomas after his first runner-up finish of the season, and second similar result in the event.

March of intent

Max Greyserman has developed the knack of running the leaders close. Next up is converting them into wins. In 26 starts, Greyserman has impressed in his rookie season with three runner-up results, all of them coming in the space of five starts between July and now.

The 29-year-old will take it for now, but will also question himself on not getting the job done. “I had opportunities every time. I stayed within myself, did what I could. I just needed just a little bit more, hit it a little closer, just needed a little bit more.”

There are learnings to be had, and Greyserman is eager to embrace them, understand and get better. “It is fun being in contention. Just keep developing under pressure. There’s a reason some of the top guys are so good. Obviously, their skill level is very high, but they’re able to put themselves in contention a lot so they get comfortable in those moments. I think I might have finally gotten there,” he said after the bid to become the only first-time winner of the tournament.

Season’s high

Out for dinner with friends on Saturday night, Rickie Fowler set himself a target of 9-under on the par-70 layout for a chance to challenge for the top prize on the final day. He fell short by some distance, but the 64 ensured the season’s best finish at sole fourth.

For one searching for his next win after the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic, Fowler was pleased to contend again after a gap, and the bogey-free last round in ZOZO Championship’s final edition left him with the incentive to come back whenever a tournament call comes next.

“I hit some good shots there. Going bogey-free, I did a good job of keeping it fairly simple and stress-free. Wish it was more, but still a good week,” he said.

Some home cheer

Turning out in his maiden PGA Tour event, Yuta Sugiura recorded the best finish among the 14 Japanese players in the field with a tie for the sixth place. Suguira has this knack of standing apart. He became the first amateur to win the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament on the Japan Golf Tour last November, and courtesy the milestone became only the seventh amateur to win in the Tour’s rich History.

After switching to the money ranks this season, the 23-year-old didn’t have to wait long for the breakthrough pro win, and it came at the Japan PGA Championship in July.

“It feels great to know how much my Game has improved and I’m able to stand tall against a quality field. It is indeed a confidence boost,” said Sugiura, who is eligible for a second start on the PGA Tour, the World Wide Technology Championship at Mexico in early November, based on availability in the field.

With four tournaments remaining on JGTO’s 2024 season, Suguira is undecided should he get to tee off as he is keen to chase the Money Ranking top spot on his home Tour. “There’s still everything to play for on the JGTO. I’m in contention for the money ranking and I’ve to think through my next steps,” he said.

(All images: PGA Tour)