Birdies on 1 and 2.
Birdies on 4, 5 and 6.
Birdie on 8.
Birdies on 10, 11 and 12. And another on 14. And another on 17. Eleven in all.
Video-game numbers. From a video-game player. A day earlier, after he shot a six-under 66 during Saturday’s third round of the World Wide Technology Championship to move within a shot of the lead, Austin Eckroat was asked how he would ready for Sunday. Margs? They’re playing in Mexico this week, after all. Rest?
Neither, Eckroat said.
“Play some more video games, he said. “That’s how I kind of take my mind off things — you can’t think about anything else. I’ll get back, eat some food and play some video games.”
Any one in particular?
“They came out with a new ‘Call of Duty’ — that’s been my obsession of recent,” Eckroat said. “It always changes, but that’s the one right now.”
The shooter game worked, as Sunday, Eckroat didn’t miss. As the final group made the turn, he was tied for the lead, then exploded. On the 344-yard, par-4 10th at El Cardonal at Diamante, Eckroat drove the green on his way to birdie and a one-shot lead. On the 189-yard, par-3 11th, he sunk a 12-footer on his way to birdie and a two-shot lead. On the 401-yard, par-4 12th, he dropped an iron to 5 feet on his way to his third-straight birdie and a three-shot lead. From there, he held on, making two more birdies, surviving a final-hole bogey and winning by one after a Sunday 63, with Justin Lower and Carson Young finishing as runner-up.
The victory continues a breakthrough year for the 25-year-old. In March, he won the Cognizant Classic. He’s posted eight top 25s. He’s made 21 cuts in 26 events.
Video-game numbers.
Something special could be coming from Eckroat. On the Golf Channel broadcast, analyst Johnson Wagner said he wouldn’t be surprised if he made a Scottie Scheffler-like run going forward. Watch out.
— Justin Lower, Nico Echavarria and Carson Young start the final round in a share of a one-stroke lead. Lower, Echavarria and Young are at 16-under, Joe Highsmith, Austin Eckroat and Max Greyserman are at 15-under, and Ben Griffin and Maverick McNealy are at 14-under.
— As the leaders make the turn, here is how the leaderboard reads: Eckroat and Lower are at 20-under, Greyserman and Young are at 19-under, and McNealy, Highsmith, Echavarria and Garrick Higgo are at 17-under. On the front nine, Eckroat made six birdies, and Lower made four.
— Eckroat birdies the 344-yard, par-4 10th after driving the green, and he grabs a one-shot lead. Eckroat is at 21-under, Greyserman and Lower are at 20-under, Young is at 19-under, and Highsmith is at 18-under.
— Eckroat birdies the 189-yard, par-3 11th on a 12-footer, and he takes a two-shot lead. Eckroat is at 22-under, Greyserman and Lower are at 20-under, and Young is at 19-under.
— Eckroat birdies the 401-yard, par-4 12th on a 5-footer, and he leads by three. Eckroat is at 23-under, Greyserman, Lower and Young are at 20-under, and Highsmith is at 18-under.
— Lower birdies the 12th on a 15-footer, and he moves to within two of the lead. Eckroat is at 23-under, Lower is at 21-under, and Young is at 20-under.
— Lower bogeys the 475-yard, par-4 13th after missing the green with his second shot, and Eckroat’s lead moves back to three. Eckroat is at 23-under, Lower and Young are at 20-under, and Greyserman is at 19-under.
— Eckroat birdies the 554-yard, par-5 14th after he chips to 5 feet after his second shot settled just in front of a tree near the green. Eckroat is at 24-under, and Greyserman, Lower and Young are at 20-under.
— Eckroat birdies the 462-yard, par-4 17th on a 15-footer, after Young had crept within two of the lead, and his lead is three. Eckroat is at 25-under, Young is at 22-under, Greyserman and Lower are at 21-under.
— Eckroat survives a scare on the 585-yard, par-5 18th. His third shot, a pitch from right of the green, came back to his feet and he bogeyed, but he wins by one after Young fails to eagle the hole while playing in the group behind. The final leaderboard reads this way: Eckroat finishes at 24-under after a nine-under 63, and Young and Lower tie for second, at 23-under, after each player shot 65.
“That’s probably some of the best golf I ever played.” — Eckroat on Golf Channel after his round.
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