PGA Tour – Valero Texas Open

Jordan Spieth ended a mystifying slump Sunday by giving himself birdie chances and making most of them, closing with a 6-under 66 to hold off Charley Hoffman for a two-shot victory in the Valero Texas Open moving back inside the Top 40 at World No.38.

"This is a monumental win for me," Spieth said. "It's been a long road. There were a lot of times that I didn't know I would be here."

He went 82 events on TOUR without winning. The former World No.1 looked like he was heading outside of the Top 100 but with 6 consecutive finishes in the points and a win he is now back inside the Top 40.

He heads to Augusta National as one of the favorites at the Masters Tournament. Even going so long without winning, the 12th win of his career allowed him to join some elite company. In the past 40 years, only Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas has won at least 12 times before turning 28.

The 27-year-old from Dallas showed signs of turning it around after starting the year by missing the cut at Torrey Pines. He was tied for the 54-hole lead in Phoenix. He led by two going into the final round at Pebble Beach. He was two behind going into the last day at Bay Hill. He reached the weekend of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

"I've had a chance on Sundays three or four different times in the last two months, and today was by far the best that I played," Spieth said. "Just to see those putts go in, I felt like I was doing everything right those other Sundays and I hit good putts and they wouldn't go in. Today I hit a couple that I didn't quite strike very well but they went in."

Tied for the lead with Matt Wallace going into Sunday at the TPC San Antonio, Spieth moved out in front and didn't let anyone catch him. He built a three-shot lead with a birdie on the 12th hole, when Hoffman made him sweat.

Korn Ferry Tour - Emerald Coast Classic at Sandestin

Stephan Jaeger pulled his drive into the water on the par-4 11th, but saved a bogey, bounced back with a birdie at No. 12, and eventually survived a playoff with David Lipsky to win the Emerald Coast Classic at Sandestin and capture the sixth title of his Korn Ferry Tour career.

Jaeger carded a 4-under 66 with six birdies and two bogeys. The Munich, Germany native made his second bogey at the 522-yard 11th, which once again played into the wind was Raven Golf Club’s toughest hole.

“The nerves got to me on No. 11 today, and I hit a bad tee shot and hit it in the water,” Jaeger said. “This golf course will really test you mentally because it’s so intimidating off the tee some holes. Nos. 9 and 11 are probably the two hardest tee shots I’ve ever hit in my life. I got away with a few, and I hit some in trouble, too. The bounce back was really big for me to keep close to the lead.”

Jaeger followed the bogey at No. 11 with a birdie at the par-3 12th, then birdies at Nos. 14 and 17. An 8-footer for birdie at the par-4 18th slid by, leaving the door open for Lipsky.

Lipsky erased a bogey at the short par-4 15th with birdies at Nos. 17 and 18 to force a playoff.

Jaeger’s six career victories move him within one of Jason Gore’s all-time record. Jaeger joins Pat Bates, Matt Gogel, Kevin Johnson, and Sean Murphy as the only players in Korn Ferry Tour history with six wins. Sunday’s win also vaults Jaeger from eighth to second in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings, securing his return to the PGA TOUR.

Jaeger previously graduated from the Korn Ferry Tour following the 2017 season and spent two years on the PGA TOUR. Between those seasons, Jaeger had to earn his TOUR card at the 2018 Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

Jaeger believes he has the game to win on the PGA TOUR this time around, with consistency being the differentiating factor from his previous stints.

Alps Tour Golf - MIRA Live the Soul Open

Young French amateur, Paul Margolis edged out Matteo Manassero to win the MIRA Live the Soul Open by one shot at 201 (-12).

Teeing off in the flight ahead of the leader, Margolis had a rock-solid front nine with not a bogey in sight and four birdies to leave the 9th green -11. Behind him yesterday’s leader, Manassero, teed off at the 9th level with the French player. However, a birdie saw him turning for home at -12. Yesterday’s runner-up, Angel Hidalgo Portillo saw the leaders pulling away from him after carding a double-bogey, bogey, and birdie to move back to -6.

Margolis continued his bogey-free run on the back nine with 3 pars and two birdies to be sitting -13 on the 14th. In his rear-view mirror, was Manassero who finished the 14th hole at -12 after one birdie and a bogey. Four holes to go and everything to play for.

Bogey, par, birdie for Margolis to head for the 18th at -13. Bogey, birdie, bogey for Manassero to leave him trailing at -11 on the last hole. Margolis missed his putt to finish with a bogey and headed into the clubhouse at 201 (-12). Everything depended now on Manassero as he had birdied the 18th in the last two rounds in which case, he would have forced a play-off. Unfortunately, today he was not third time lucky and left the green with a par to hand the victory to Margolis.

A fantastic result for the amateur player from the Terre Blanche Golf Resort who just last spring decided to stop his university studies in the USA to devote himself 100% to golf. Currently pre-selected for the French team for next year’s International Amateur Team Championship to be held in France.

Big Easy Tour – Big Easy Road To #9 at ERPM Golf Club

Keelan Van Wyk produced a clinical performance in the final round of the Big Easy Road To #9 at ERPM Golf Club and the result was a bogey-free 64 and a two-shot victory over last week’s winner Ryan Van Velzen.

“I could feel that my confidence levels were up this week and that is purely due to the last win,” said Van Wyk in Pretoria. “I did not attach a score to my game plan. I just committed to giving myself chances. In the end, I was able to convert 8 putts and post a low one.”

Van Wyk entered the final round trailing Ryan Tipping by two shots and knew he had some work to do if he was to pull off another win. He was four-under through the first six holes and he was happy not to take any risks for the remainder of that set.

Coming home, Van Wyk produced a similar score and with Tipping falling away, it was Van Velzen who was the greatest threat.

“I was focused on keeping mistakes off the card,” Van Wyk added. “I did make two mistakes and had to hit good recovery shots to save par. Other than that, I was executing the plan well. I’ve worked hard on my putting but more on my swing. I feel like I’m able to hit more consistent shots and my bad shots are not so erratic anymore.”