Kevin Na wins JT Shriners

Kevin Na of the USA secured his first PGA Tour victory at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. The 28-year-old fired a closing round of 65 to finish two clear of Nick Watney in the Justin Timberlake Shriners.

Kevin Na
Fergus Bisset
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Kevin Na of the USA secured his first PGA Tour victory at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. The 28-year-old fired a closing round of 65 to finish two clear of Nick Watney in the Justin Timberlake Shriners.

Na took the win in the PGA Tour's Fall Series opener with three birdies in his last four holes.

"I'm just very excited about my first win," said Na. "It wasn't easy. Nick was coming right behind me. It looked like any time he was going to make a move, and I tried the best that I could to stay one step ahead of him."

Na's winning total of 23-under-par was a tournament record by two strokes.

"This golf course you have to get off to a good start," said Na. "The reason why is because like all the guys out here say, 'You have to go low, and if you're not making birdies, somebody else is.' So, if you're even par through six you feel like you're two shots behind everybody, and it puts more pressure into your back nine.

Tommy Gainey and Paul Goydos tied for third after both players closed with 68. David Hearn of Canada climbed through the field with a final round of 65, he finished in a five-way tie for fifth.

Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas Sep 29 - Oct 2, purse $4,400,000, par 71 1   Kevin Na (USA)      67   63   66   65   261   $792,000 2   Nick Watney (USA)   65   67   64   67   263   $475,200 T3   Tommy Gainey (USA)   67   67   64   68   266   $255,200 T3   Paul Goydos (USA)   66   66   66   68   266   $255,200 T5   David Hearn (Can)   69   67   66   65   267   $149,160 T5   Tim Herron (USA)   65   66   67   69   267   $149,160 T5   Spencer Levin (USA)   68   67   64   68   267   $149,160 T5   Carl Pettersson (Swe)   66   67   66   68   267   $149,160 T5   Jhonattan Vegas (Ven)   63   67   69   68   267   $149,160

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only

Where next? European Tour - Michael Hoey wins Alfred Dunhill Championship

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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