Séamus Power closed out with a six-under 66 to climb 16 places to T11 as Stefano Mazzoli of Italy matched it and won the Corales Puntacana Championship for his first PGA Tour victory.
The Waterford man, making his first start since withdrawing from the John Deere Classic a fortnight ago through injury, sat tied for 27th going into the final round after a 67 on moving day, and he came roaring out of the traps on Sunday with birdies on each of his first four holes to push his way inside the top 10.
A bogey on the fifth stalled his momentum, but he kept his card clean from that point on and picked up further strokes on the eighth, 12th and 17th holes to end the week on -15 and five shots shy of eventual winner Mazzoli.
Having started the year with conditional status on the PGA Tour, the FedEx points gained could prove crucial as he climbed from 125th to 114th in the rankings, with the top 100 players at the end of the FedEx Fall series earning full playing rights for 2027.
Mazzoli was one of 50 DP World Tour players in the co-sanctioned event played opposite the Open Championship. The 29-year-old earned a PGA Tour card through 2027 and jumped from 127th to 39th in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai standings.
“I’m just grateful and honored to win on tour,” Mazzoli said. “That was a dream since I was a kid.”
Four strokes behind Todd Clements entering the round on the windswept Corales course, Mazzoli made a 24-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to post at 20-under 268. He accepted PGA Tour membership after the round.
“I’ll be pleased to play this (PGA Tour) next year and see where it goes,” Mazzolli said.
Clements, the English player who led after each of the first three days, had a 71 to tie for second with Gordon Sargent (67).
Clements played the final six holes in 3 over, making a double bogey on the par-4 13th and a bogey on the par-4 16th.
“Look, I’m proud of how I played,” Clements said. “Gave it my all, wasn’t meant to be. That’s part of the game.”
Ben James (70) and Will Gordon (66) were 18 under. James was making his fifth start as a professional. The former Virginia star earned a tour spot through the PGA Tour University Ranking.
Blades Brown tied for 11th at 15 under after a 70. The 19-year-old Brown is playing as a Special Temporary Member of the PGA Tour.
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