Temple University Athletics
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Brandon Matthews Wins PGA TOUR Latinoamérica’s Puerto Plata Open
12.21.20 | Men's Golf
story courtesy - PGATOURLA.COM
PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (12/20/20) — Thirteen months after missing a putt to extend a playoff at the VISA Open de Argentina, where he was distracted by a fan with Down syndrome who yelled at a critical moment, Temple University alum Brandon Matthews found redemption with a five-shot win at the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica's Puerto Plata Open.
Leading by four after a third-round 63, Matthews proved impossible to catch Sunday at Playa Dorada Golf Course. The 26-year old from Dupont, Pennsylvania, never led by less than three shots, and a final round, 6-under 65 led him to a comfortable five-shot victory. Matthews finished the week at 26-under par 258, with fellow American Jacob Bergeron claiming runner-up honors after firing a final-round-low, 8-under 63.
"Today I was playing myself, because I knew that if I played a good round of golf I was going to be almost impossible to catch. I had 26-under on my mind, and that's why I kind of gave it a little bit more of a fist pump there at the last," said Matthews of a round he capped off with a birdie at the last to make it a five-shot margin.
For his winning efforts at Playa Dorada Golf Course, Matthews earned 500 points and $31,500 in the second of two consecutive events that marked the restart of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season after the COVID19 pandemic forced a nine-month break.
Starting the day with a par at the first, a hole where he made birdie-birdie-eagle the first three days, Matthews recorded his first birdie at the par-3 second. "That birdie was really big; settled me down a little bit, got me in the flow of the round," said the Temple University alum who made his only bogey of the day on the next hole.
After that he pretty much didn't miss a golf shot, making back-to-back birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 to keep his challengers away. Ahead by four through nine, Matthews opened the back nine with birdies on 10 and 11 to cruise to victory the rest of the way. His last two birdies, on 16 and 18, formed the punctuation mark to a solid weekend in which he shot 14-under.
"I'm really proud that I extended my lead. I think that probably the hardest thing to do in golf is to have a several-shot lead and extend it throughout the day. I really played almost as good as I could have. I put [the ball] in every spot that I needed to put it in and trusted my putter a lot," said the man who now ranks third on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Order of Merit.
Matthews didn't see his Puerto Plata win as any sort of vindication after losing the 2019 Argentine Open. "You know, things happen, and I keep telling everyone that I never got upset about [being distracted by the fan]. I don't hold it over my head at all. It's not anything like that. My second-place finish there allowed me to regain status on this Tour, so if I didn't finish second that week I might not be here right now," added the champion.
Entering the day in a tie for seventh, Conner Godsey shot 64 to finish six shots behind in a two-way tie for third, with Brendon Doyle, who joined Matthews in the last grouping. Argentina's Alejandro Tosti, the other player in the final group, finished another stroke back, in a tie for fifth, with Patrick Newcomb.
Coming off a victory a week ago at the Shell Open, MJ Maguire finished at 18-under to join Argentina's Leandro Marelli in a tie for seventh. The finish allowed Maguire to earn enough points to take the Order of Merit lead away from Brazil's Alex Rocha, who now ranks second.
Did you know Brandon Matthews is one of only 30 players with multiple career PGA TOUR Latinoamérica wins? By adding the 2020 Puerto Plata Open title to his win at the 2017 Molino Cañuelas Championship, Matthews became the 17th player with two PGA TOUR Latinoamérica trophies. Ahead of that group are nine players with three wins and four with four wins.
Key Information
Born in Dupont, Pennsylvania on July 27, 1994, Brandon Matthews claimed this title at age 26 years, 4 months, 23 days.
The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, was in attendance on this final day and he presented the tournament trophy to Brandon Matthews during the closing ceremony.
At 26-under for the week, Brandon Matthews tied the second-lowest 72-hole total recorded on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. At 29-under, Alexandre Rocha set the Tour record during his win at the 2020-21 season-opening Estrella del Mar Open in March. Alvaro Ortiz finished that same event as runner-up, at 26-under, for a number that Matthews matched today.
Brandon Matthews' 26-under total is by four shots a new 72-hole record at Playa Dorada Golf Course. The previous mark had been set by Andrés Gallegos, who shot 22-under in his 2018 win.
Brandon Matthews improved his PGA TOUR Latinoamérica career record to two wins and six top-10 finishes in only 15 starts.
By collecting 500 points as a tournament winner, Brandon Matthews increased his season's point total to 548 to move into the third spot on the Order of Merit, which is now led by MJ Maguire. Winner of the Shell Open a week ago, Maguire tied for seventh Sunday to move past Brazil's Alexandre Rocha at the top of the standings.
PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (12/20/20) — Thirteen months after missing a putt to extend a playoff at the VISA Open de Argentina, where he was distracted by a fan with Down syndrome who yelled at a critical moment, Temple University alum Brandon Matthews found redemption with a five-shot win at the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica's Puerto Plata Open.
Leading by four after a third-round 63, Matthews proved impossible to catch Sunday at Playa Dorada Golf Course. The 26-year old from Dupont, Pennsylvania, never led by less than three shots, and a final round, 6-under 65 led him to a comfortable five-shot victory. Matthews finished the week at 26-under par 258, with fellow American Jacob Bergeron claiming runner-up honors after firing a final-round-low, 8-under 63.
"Today I was playing myself, because I knew that if I played a good round of golf I was going to be almost impossible to catch. I had 26-under on my mind, and that's why I kind of gave it a little bit more of a fist pump there at the last," said Matthews of a round he capped off with a birdie at the last to make it a five-shot margin.
For his winning efforts at Playa Dorada Golf Course, Matthews earned 500 points and $31,500 in the second of two consecutive events that marked the restart of the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica season after the COVID19 pandemic forced a nine-month break.
Starting the day with a par at the first, a hole where he made birdie-birdie-eagle the first three days, Matthews recorded his first birdie at the par-3 second. "That birdie was really big; settled me down a little bit, got me in the flow of the round," said the Temple University alum who made his only bogey of the day on the next hole.
After that he pretty much didn't miss a golf shot, making back-to-back birdies on Nos. 4 and 5 to keep his challengers away. Ahead by four through nine, Matthews opened the back nine with birdies on 10 and 11 to cruise to victory the rest of the way. His last two birdies, on 16 and 18, formed the punctuation mark to a solid weekend in which he shot 14-under.
"I'm really proud that I extended my lead. I think that probably the hardest thing to do in golf is to have a several-shot lead and extend it throughout the day. I really played almost as good as I could have. I put [the ball] in every spot that I needed to put it in and trusted my putter a lot," said the man who now ranks third on the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Order of Merit.
Matthews didn't see his Puerto Plata win as any sort of vindication after losing the 2019 Argentine Open. "You know, things happen, and I keep telling everyone that I never got upset about [being distracted by the fan]. I don't hold it over my head at all. It's not anything like that. My second-place finish there allowed me to regain status on this Tour, so if I didn't finish second that week I might not be here right now," added the champion.
Entering the day in a tie for seventh, Conner Godsey shot 64 to finish six shots behind in a two-way tie for third, with Brendon Doyle, who joined Matthews in the last grouping. Argentina's Alejandro Tosti, the other player in the final group, finished another stroke back, in a tie for fifth, with Patrick Newcomb.
Coming off a victory a week ago at the Shell Open, MJ Maguire finished at 18-under to join Argentina's Leandro Marelli in a tie for seventh. The finish allowed Maguire to earn enough points to take the Order of Merit lead away from Brazil's Alex Rocha, who now ranks second.
Did you know Brandon Matthews is one of only 30 players with multiple career PGA TOUR Latinoamérica wins? By adding the 2020 Puerto Plata Open title to his win at the 2017 Molino Cañuelas Championship, Matthews became the 17th player with two PGA TOUR Latinoamérica trophies. Ahead of that group are nine players with three wins and four with four wins.
Key Information
Born in Dupont, Pennsylvania on July 27, 1994, Brandon Matthews claimed this title at age 26 years, 4 months, 23 days.
The President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, was in attendance on this final day and he presented the tournament trophy to Brandon Matthews during the closing ceremony.
At 26-under for the week, Brandon Matthews tied the second-lowest 72-hole total recorded on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. At 29-under, Alexandre Rocha set the Tour record during his win at the 2020-21 season-opening Estrella del Mar Open in March. Alvaro Ortiz finished that same event as runner-up, at 26-under, for a number that Matthews matched today.
Brandon Matthews' 26-under total is by four shots a new 72-hole record at Playa Dorada Golf Course. The previous mark had been set by Andrés Gallegos, who shot 22-under in his 2018 win.
Brandon Matthews improved his PGA TOUR Latinoamérica career record to two wins and six top-10 finishes in only 15 starts.
By collecting 500 points as a tournament winner, Brandon Matthews increased his season's point total to 548 to move into the third spot on the Order of Merit, which is now led by MJ Maguire. Winner of the Shell Open a week ago, Maguire tied for seventh Sunday to move past Brazil's Alexandre Rocha at the top of the standings.
Players Mentioned
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