Behind a ridiculous final nine, Michael Thorbjornsen wins Rocket Classic

Michael Thorbjornsen said this would happen.

He did so back in February at the WM Phoenix Open, where he tied for third after leading late. 

“You put yourself in those positions more and more,” Thorbjornsen said, “you get more comfortable, you learn every single time whether you do well or — I mean, whether the result is good or bad necessarily, if you’re talking about wins or losses.

“I don’t think I failed out there. I’m just learning. So, yeah, I put myself in that position. I was leading after what, 70 holes, 69 holes, whatever it was. I mean, we’re inching our way closer and closer. It’ll happen at some point.”

About a month later, he then said this at the Players Championship, where he entered the final round in second. 

“Yeah, just keep trying your best,” Thorbjornsen said. “If you keep putting yourself in that position, it’s going to happen at some point. So I think that’s really the main goal of all of us players out here is to have a chance or be in contention on the back nine on Sunday, and however the cards may fall, that’s just how it is.”

During Sunday’s final round of the final Rocket Classic, those around Thorbjornsen stumbled. Third-round leader Davis Riley? He bogeyed holes 2, 4 and 6. Michael Brennan, who started the final round one back? He made two double bogeys. Two-time major winner Xander Schauffele? He surged, but a bogey on 13 was costly. Ryder Cupper Rasmus Hojgaard? He also made a move, but a bogey on 11 slowed him. Players winner Cameron Young? He stalled. 

And Thorbjornsen? To make it happen, he made things happen. Birdie on the par-4 1st at Detroit Golf Club, on a 12-foot putt. Birdie on the par-5 4th after hitting his third shot to 4 feet. Then came his closing nine, which was sensational. He birdied the par-4 10th, after hitting his approach to 6 feet. He birdied the par-4 12th after pitching in from right of the green. He birdied the par-5 14th after pitching to 2 feet, and that gave him a lead that he wouldn’t release. A hole later, on the par-3 15th, Thorbjornsen birdied again, after dropping his tee shot to 6 feet. He then locked up the title with a birdie on the par-4 18th, the three coming on a 25-foot putt. All of that, coupled with no bogeys, equaled a five-under 30 over his final nine holes.        

In the end, Thorbjornsen shot seven-under 63, and no one was better on Sunday. He won by two, and the title was the first on the PGA Tour for the 24-year-old. 

Of course, he told us it was en route.  

The takeaway 

This won’t be the last win for Thorbjornsen. Watch out. 

The leaderboard breakdown 

– Sunday’s final round starts with Davis Riley holding a one-shot lead. Riley is at 15-under, Michael Brennan is at 14-under, and Rasmus Hojgaard, Chris Kirk, Rickie Fowler and Cameron Young are at 12-under. 

– Riley birdies the 407-yard, par-4 1st on a 49-foot putt, then Brennan follows with a 37-footer for birdie. Riley is at 16-under, Brennan is at 15-under, Kirk is at 13-under, and eight players are at 12-under — Fowler, Young, Hojgaard, Doug Ghim, Luke Clanton, Michael Kim, Kristoffer Ventura and Michael Thorbjornsen. 

– Riley bogeys the 488-yard, par-4 2nd after his tee shot hit a tree, and he and Brennan are tied for the lead. Riley and Brennan are at 15-under, Kirk is at 13-under, and seven players are 12-under — Fowler, Ghim, Clanton, Kim, Ventura, Thorbjornsen and Patrick Cantlay.

– Brennan birdies the 372-yard, par-4 3rd on an 11-foot putt, and he takes a one-shot lead. Brennan is at 16-under, Riley is at 15-under, and Ventura, Thorbjornsen and Kirk are at 13-under. 

– Riley bogeys the 588-yard, par-5 4th after losing his tee shot in the left rough, and Brennan’s lead grows to two. Brennan is at 16-under, Riley, Kirk and Hojgaard are at 14-under, and Ventura and Thorbjornsen are at 13-under. 

– Kirk birdies the 510-yard, par-4 6th on a 35-foot putt, and he is one shot back of the lead. Brennan is at 16-under, Kirk is at 15-under, Riley and Hojgaard are at 14-under, and Ventura, Thorbjornsen, Fowler and Xander Schauffele are at 13-under. 

– Brennan double-bogeys the 499-yard, par-4 7th after hitting his tee shot out of bounds, and there is now a six-way tie for the lead. Brennan, Schauffele, Hojgaard, Kirk, Kim and Ventura are at 14-under, Thorbjornsen and Riley are at 13-under, and Fowler, Davis Thompson and Hideki Matsuyama are at 12-under. 

– Schauffele birdies the 332-yard, par-4 8th after hitting his tee shot to 22 feet, and he takes a one-shot lead. Schauffele is at 15-under, Kim, Ventura, Kirk, Brennan and Hojgaard are at 14-under, Thorbjornsen and Riley are at 13-under, and Fowler, Young, Thompson and Matsuyama are at 12-under.   

– Hojgaard and Brennan each birdie the 8th, and there’s now a three-way tie for the lead. Schauffele, Hojgaard and Brennan are at 15-under, Kim, Ventura, Kirk and Riley are at 14-under, and Thorbjornsen and Young are at 13-under. 

– Hojgaard birdies the 426-yard, par-4 10th on a 14-foot putt, and he takes a one-shot lead. Hojgaard is at 16-under, Schauffele, Riley and Brennan are at 15-under, and Kim, Ventura, Thorbjornsen and Kirk are at 14-under. 

– Hojgaard bogeys the 253-yard, par-3 11th after missing a 6-footer for par, and four players are now tied for the lead. Schauffele, Thorbjornsen, Riley and Hojgaard are at 15-under, Kim, Ventura, Kirk and Brennan are at 14-under, and Matsuyama and Young are at 13-under. 

– Schauffele bogeys the 410-yard, par-4 13th after his tee shot goes left, and three players are now tied for the lead. Thorbjornsen, Riley and Hojgaard are at 15-under, Schauffele, Kim, Ventura, Kirk and Brennan are at 14-under, and Matsuyama, Young and Cantlay are at 13-under. 

– Thorbjornsen birdies the 572-yard, par-5 14th after pitching to 2 feet with his third shot, and he leads by one. Thorbjornsen is at 16-under, Schauffele, Riley and Hojgaard are at 15-under, and Ventura and Brennan are at 14-under. 

– Thorbjornsen birdies the 140-yard, par-3 15th after hitting his tee shot to 6 feet, and he leads by two. Thorbjornsen is at 17-under, Schauffele and Riley are at 15-under, and Brennan and Ventura are at 14-under. 

– Riley birdies the 14th after getting home in two, and he moves to one stroke back of the lead. Thorbjornsen is at 17-under, Riley is at 16-under, and Schauffele and Hojgaard are at 15-under. 

– Thorbjornsen birdies the 475-yard, par-4 18th on a 25-foot putt, and he likely clinches the tournament. He’s at 18-under, Riley and Schauffele are at 16-under, and Hojgaard is at 15-under. 

– The final leaderboard reads this way: Thorbjornsen at 18-under, Schauffele at 16-under, Riley at 15-under, and Hojgaard at 14-under.  

The final word 

“It feels amazing to be sitting here.” — Thorbjornsen on CBS while watching highlights of his victory