PGA Update: Texas Tech's Mito Pereira Double Bogeys Final Hole, Loses Championship
Former Texas Tech Red Raider golfer Mito Pereira double-bogeyed the final hole of the PGA Championship to fall out of contention at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Periera tee'd off at the 18th with a one-shot lead over Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris and hit his drive into the water. After the penalty drop, he hit his third shot in the rough still 80-feet from the pin.
Pereira then flew his chip over the green into the fairway. He hit his approach shot to 4-feet from the pin and one putted for the double-bogey.
Pereira led most of the way after three rounds in the 60s, but the competition was never far behind. He led by three strokes entering the final round on Sunday.
Pereira, 27, just got his tour card last year by virtue of winning three times on the Korn Ferry Tour, was in uncharted territory, and trying to remain as calm as possible, as he discussed after the thrid round:
"It's by far the biggest tournament that I've played, the biggest round of golf and tomorrow is going to be even bigger," Pereira said after the third round. "I'll just try to keep it simple, try to do the same things that I've been doing and try to not even look at the people around."
Pereira had issues with bogeys all weekend, with four on Saturday and five on Sunday, not including the double-bogey on 18.
Thomas prevailed after the three-hole playoff, leaving Zalatoris in second place and Pereira finishing third.
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