Michael Thorbjornsen won his first PGA Tour title at the Rocket Classic on Sunday, closing with a bogey-free 63 to complete a two-shot victory over Xander Schauffele.

The 24-year-old finished at 18-under 262, matching Tony Finau’s 2022 tournament scoring record, before securing the win with a curling 26-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole.

“Perfect pace, perfect read,” Thorbjornsen said.

Victory in his 65th Tour start delivered 500 FedExCup points and moved him from No. 69 to No. 38 in the standings. That guarantees his place in the Playoffs, with only the top-70 advancing after next week’s Wyndham Championship.

Thorbjornsen became the eighth first-time winner on the PGA Tour this season and the second in successive weeks after 21-year-old Jackson Koivun won the 3M Open. He is also the fourth player to record his maiden Tour victory at the Rocket Classic, following Nate Lashley, Cam Davis and Aldrich Potgieter.

Thorbjornsen Takes Control on the Back Nine

Thorbjornsen began the final round behind 54-hole leader Davis Riley, but the tournament opened up as Riley made three bogeys across his first six holes. Riley’s early trouble included a lost ball in the fescue at the fourth, despite help from around a dozen spectators.

Schauffele moved briefly into the lead during a closing 65, while several players remained within reach after the turn. Thorbjornsen separated himself through a six-hole stretch containing four birdies, taking the outright lead at the 14th.

His key gain came at the par-four 12th, where he chipped in from 35 feet. Accurate approach play also left several shorter birdie chances as the conditions changed from morning rain to wind after the clouds cleared.

“It was such a battle, playing with some great players,” Thorbjornsen said. “Everyone was in the mix after nine holes.”

The closing birdie completed the lowest round among the leading contenders and gave Thorbjornsen his second top-10 finish in four Rocket Classic appearances. He tied for fourth in 2025.

Schauffele Finishes Second as Riley Slips Back

Schauffele ended the week at 16-under on his Rocket Classic debut, recording the 16th runner-up finish of his PGA Tour career. The result lifted the 10-time Tour winner from 15th to 11th in the FedExCup standings.

Riley recovered from his poor start with three birdies over a seven-hole section, but a bogey at the 17th ended his chance of forcing a playoff. His level-par 70 left him alone in third at 15-under, one shot ahead of Rasmus Højgaard.

Højgaard closed with a 68 to finish fourth, falling short in his attempt to become the first Danish winner on the PGA Tour. Hideki Matsuyama, Matt Wallace and Kristoffer Ventura shared fifth place at 13-under.

Born in Cleveland and raised in Massachusetts, Thorbjornsen attended Stanford and won the 2018 US Junior Amateur by defeating Akshay Bhatia. His previous best PGA Tour results were runner-up finishes at the 2024 John Deere Classic and 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship.

The first FedExCup Playoffs event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, begins on August 13.

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The 23-year-old defeated Esther Henseleit over two extra holes at Royal Lytham & St Annes, continuing Japan’s run of success in the championship.

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