Joe Highsmith of Lakewood, Washington won his first ever PGA tournament on Sunday. The 24-year-old product of Pepperdine University posted a four round score of -19 and beat fellow Americans Jacob Bridgeman of Inman, South Carolina and J.J. Spaun of Los Angeles, California by two strokes each at the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
To put how unknown Highsmith and Bridgeman are in the golf world, they do not even have Wikipedia pages. Highsmith actually climbed up 111 spots in the Official World Golf Rankings as prior to the Sunday win, he was 170th in the world, and is now 59th. Bridgeman, meanwhile moved up 93 spots in the Official World Golf Rankings, as he went from 205th to 112th.
Highsmith posted a first round score of six-under-par 65, a second round score of one-over-par 72, and back-to-back third and fourth round scores of seven-under-par 64. Along the way, Highsmith recorded an eagle. It came on the par five 10th hole in round three on Saturday. Highsmith’s putt was 20 feet and 11 inches.
This is the second straight week that there was a first time winner on the PGA Tour. Last week, Brian Campbell of Orange County, California won the Mexican Open.
It is interesting that first time winners on the PGA Tour have come at a time when star power is lacking a little in men’s professional golf. Reunification discussions between the PGA Tour and LIV Tour are in full swing with talks even taking place at the White House and American President Donald Trump involved.
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