Hoey closes with 73 to a joint 52nd in CJ Cup Byron Nelson – BusinessWorld Online
RICO Hoey fumbled with a closing two-over 73 to wind up joint 52nd in the CJ Cup Byron Nelson ruled by the dominant Scottie Scheffler on Sunday in Texas.
It was a nightmarish ending for the Filipino after a dream start in the $9.9-million PGA stop at the TPC Craig Ranch course.
Mr. Hoey kicked his bid off with an eagle-aided and bogey-free 63 as he stood just two strokes off world No. 1 Scheffler and shared second spot after 18 holes.
But he failed to sustain this opening sizzler and coughed up a 73 in Round 2. The Pinoy ace rebounded a bit with a 68 on moving day but a final round composed of five birdies, three bogeys and two double bogeys dragged him further down in the final leaderboard.
The 29-year-old Mr. Hoey tallied seven-under 277 – way behind the record-tying 31-under 253 of the victorious Scheffler. The finish earned Mr. Hoey $23,710.50 (around P1.3 million).
Mr. Scheffler fired a second 63 to cap off a swashbuckling four-day run. The 2024 PGA Tour Player of the Year finished eight shots ahead of South Africa’s Eric van Rooyen, who matched his final-round 63 but could only muster 261.
The American star tied a PGA Tour record since 1983 for the lowest 72-hole score. Before Mr. Scheffler, Justin Thomas first carded 253 in the 2017 Sony Open and Ludvig Aberg posted the same at The RSM Classic in 2023. — Olmin Leyba
