Chinese Taipei’s Kevin Yu posted an impressive second straight top-10 finish for the first time on the PGA TOUR following a tied sixth at the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday as he qualified for next week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the second Signature event of the 2024 season.
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A week after coming in equal third at The American Express, the 25-year-old Yu, who was the first round leader, maintained his run of good form thanks to an impressive bogey-free 5-under 67 featuring five birdies at the South Course at Torrey Pines.
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He finished three strokes behind Mattieu Pavon, who became the first Frenchman to win on the PGA TOUR since World War II. Yu also earned his place in next week’s US$20 million showpiece at Pebble Beach through the Aon Swing 5.
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Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama carded a 67 to finish tied 13th while rookie Ryo Hisatsune closed with a 70 to finish T33.
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Yu, who is a graduate from PGA TOUR University and Korn Ferry Tour, was delighted to post another strong finish after missing four months of action last season due to a torn meniscus. “I’m happy what I did this week and last week. I mean, back-to-back top-10s, this is the first time for me. I can see the game is trending right now, so hopefully I can keep it up and hopefully get into next week and hopefully in the coming Signature events,” said Yu, who is a former world amateur No. 1.
He hit 14 greens in regulation and rode on a hot putter which saw him rank second during the final day in Strokes Gained: Putting. He rolled in a 14-footer on the first, five feet on the third and picked up a third birdie on eight from 10 feet to turn in 3-under before finishing with a flourish by rattling home a 29-footer for birdie on 17 and then closing with an easy birdie from three feet at the last hole.
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‘Today I felt I was driving the ball way better compared to the last two rounds on South. The key out here is just got to hit fairways, which I did. Putting was pretty solid so it helped me make a lot of clutch putts and then birdie putts, too,” said Yu.
He is excited to return to the iconic Pebble Beach as he finished tied seventh in the event last season before being sidelined for four months with his knee injury. “Definitely is a goal for me this season,” said Yu of his ambition to keep playing his way into the Signature events through the Aon Swing 5, which the top-50 from last season’s FedExCup points list have guaranteed starts.
“But I wasn’t really thinking that much right now, just trying to play my best and hopefully every shot can do what I feel like I can do. I was really trying to focus on the course, but definitely that’s a goal coming up this season.”
