Kokrak eases past Spieth in Texas as Wiesberger makes Ryder Cup move in Denmark
Bernd Wiesberger. Picture: Getty Images
Jason Kokrak emerged as a potential big-hitting US Ryder Cup debutant when he cruised past an off-colour Jordan Spieth to win the Charles Schwab Challenge and his second title this season.
The 6'4" giant from Ohio (36) closed with a level par 70 to 73 from Spieth to win by two strokes on 14-under par at Colonial Country Club in Texas. Scores
It was a day for Ryder Cup moves on both sides of the Atlantic with Ian Poulter tied third in Fort Worth and Bernd Wiesberger retaining the Made in HimmerLand in Denmark by five shots from Italian Guido Migliozzi, who also enters the picture for European skipper Pádraig Harrington.
"I didn't really end it like I wanted to, but you know, I think it shows that I've got a lot of grit and a lot of fight in me," Kokrak said after he held off Spieth down the stretch and entered the US Ryder Cup conversation by moving to 13th in the standings.
"Whether I'm in the conversation or not, I've had an incredible year; yes, to make a Ryder Cup or any team event has always been a lifelong goal.
"I missed out on a Walker Cup as an amateur, and that's just something that's a lifelong goal, and I would love to be a part of the team.
"Love to be in that team room. Anything that I can do to help out to bring the Cup home, it would be a great honour."
Spieth moved up to ninth in the US standings, but there was also a positive move in Europe for Wiesberger, who jumped five spots to 11th in the World Points List, just two places outside the automatic spots following his successful defence of the Made in HimmerLand.
"Got to keep playing good golf, but I would like to put my name in the vicinity of one of those spots," said Wiesberger. "First things first, I need to play some more tournaments like this week, and it will sort itself out."
The 35-year-old closed with a seven-under 64 to claim a wire-to-wire, five-shot win on 21-under from Migliozzi, who shot 63, as Clandeboye's Jonathan Caldwell slipped 17 places to tied 31st on eight-under after a 71. Scores
Meanwhile, Germany's Alex Cejka won the second PGA Tour Champions major of 2021 at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa. Scores
Just three weeks after outlasting US Ryder Cup captain Stricker in a playoff for the Regions Tradition in Alabama, he shot a final-round, three-under 67 to win by four shots from Tim Petrovic on eight-under-par.
Cejka started the final round one shot behind Stricker, who got off to a bad start and shot a seven-over 77 to finish tied 11th, nine shots behind on one-over.
Dungannon's Darren Clarke shot 74 to tie for 54th on 11-over with Paul McGinley 74th on 19-over after a 75.
