Lee Hodges dominates 3M Open for first PGA tour victory - ESPN

BLAINE, Minn. — Lee Hodges shot a 67 in the final round on Sunday for a wire-to-wire title at the 3M Open and his first tour victory, setting tournament records with a 260 and a seven-stroke win.

Hodges, who started the day with a five-stroke lead on J.T. Poston, was up by three entering the par-5 last hole on his 65th career start. After Poston's go-for-broke approach yielded a triple bogey, Hodges tapped in a short putt for his third birdie of the round. The 28-year-old Alabama native hugged and hoisted his wife, Savannah, in celebration after she hustled out to the green to greet him.

Poston shot a 69 to drop into a three-way tie for second place with Martin Laird and Kevin Streelman. Dylan Wu shot a 64 to match Keith Mitchell for fifth at 16 under.

Tony Finau, the defending champion and highest-ranked player at 10th in the FedEx Cup standings participating in this field, shot a 70 to land in a three-way tie for seventh.

Hodges shot a 63 on Thursday, a 64 on Friday and a 66 on Saturday to take a commanding lead into the final round at the TPC Twin Cities course in Blaine on a former sod farm in suburban Minneapolis. He had two eagles and two bogeys on Sunday.

With one previous top-three finish in 2022 at The American Express in La Quinta, California, Hodges said on Saturday he couldn't recall a five-shot lead in his entire career, amateur competition included, and felt as if he was «playing with house money» with his place on the tour next season secured.

Lee Hodges won the 3M Open by 7, tied for the 3rd-largest margin of victory in a player's first win on the PGA TOUR in the last 30 years.

Entering the week in 74th place in the FedEx Cup standings, Hodges soared to 33rd with the $1.4 million prize for the win. He