Jhonattan Vegas hits police officer then runs away to win 3M Open
Jhonattan Vegas captures a fourth career title on the PGA Tour and his first in seven years at the 3M Open.
Jhonattan Vegas captured his fourth PGA Tour title with victory at the 3M Open on Sunday night, and even found time to hit a police officer on the back nine!
The victory marked the Venezuelan's first title on the PGA Tour since he successfully defended the RBC Canadian Open in July 2017.
Vegas, 39, two-putted for birdie on the par-5 18th to see out a narrow one-shot victory on 17-under par at TPC Twin Cities in Minnesota.
He becomes the first international winner of the 3M Open in the process.
Vegas started the week ranked 321st in the world, but he will now vault up the rankings when an update is made on Monday.
He paid tribute to his wife Hildegard and their two children in helping him believe he could still win again on the PGA Tour.
Max Greyserman closed with a flawless 8-under 63 to finish solo second on 16-under par.
That marked Greyserman's best finish in his early career on the PGA Tour.
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Vegas surged into the 54-hole lead following a flawless round of 8-under 63 on Saturday.
While it was much more of a struggle for Vegas in the final round, he fought hard to get the job done.
Understandably nervous as he looked to end a seven-year winless drought, the Venezuelan opened with a bogey on the par-4 1st.
He did well to even make that, draining an 11-footer for a five.
But he settled down thereafter and made two birdies in three holes from the 4th to move back in front.
The nerves appeared to kick in again when making bogeys at the 9th and 13th.
During that indifferent stretch of golf, Vegas made a wild par on the par-5 12th.
He incredibly drove into the arm of a police officer with his tee shot!
“Scottie Scheffler would already be in cuffs," joked one golf fan on social media.
Scroll below to watch what happened...
But with the title on the line, Vegas kept his composure and relied on his past PGA Tour experience.
Vegas poured home an eight-footer for birdie on the 15th to move into a tie for the lead with Greyserman, who had just set the clubhouse target of 16-under par.
After making solid pars at 16 and 17, Vegas then smashed a stunning drive down the middle of the fairway at the par-5 18th.
He found the left side of the green with his second shot but it left a long putt for eagle in the region of 50 feet.
Vegas putted up to four feet behind the cup and then sent the birdie putt down to see out a fourth career win on the PGA Tour.
Matt Kuchar (71) and Maverick McNealy (70) finished two shots off the pace on 15-under par, with Taylor Pendrith (67) taking solo fifth on 14-under par.
| JHONATTAN VEGAS | -17 |
| MAX GREYSERMAN | -16 |
| MATT KUCHAR | -15 |
| MAVERICK MCNEALY | -15 |
| TAYLOR PENDRITH | -14 |
