Michael Thorbjornsen wins 1st PGA Tour title by 2 shots at the 8th and final Rocket Classic

Michael Thorbjornsen wins 1st PGA Tour title by 2 shots at the 8th and final Rocket Classic 1 of 5 | Michael Thorbjornsen hoists the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 2 of 5 | Michael Thorbjornsen hits from the fifth tee during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 3 of 5 | Michael Thorbjornsen poses with the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 4 of 5 | Xander Schauffele hits from the fifth tee during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 5 of 5 | Rasmus Hojgaard, front right, of Denmark, is congratulated by fans after he hit an eagle on the fourth hole during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 1 of 5 | Michael Thorbjornsen hoists the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 1 of 5 Michael Thorbjornsen hoists the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 2 of 5 | Michael Thorbjornsen hits from the fifth tee during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 2 of 5 Michael Thorbjornsen hits from the fifth tee during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 3 of 5 | Michael Thorbjornsen poses with the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 3 of 5 Michael Thorbjornsen poses with the trophy after winning the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 4 of 5 | Xander Schauffele hits from the fifth tee during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 4 of 5 Xander Schauffele hits from the fifth tee during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share 5 of 5 | Rasmus Hojgaard, front right, of Denmark, is congratulated by fans after he hit an eagle on the fourth hole during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) 5 of 5 Rasmus Hojgaard, front right, of Denmark, is congratulated by fans after he hit an eagle on the fourth hole during the final round of the Rocket Classic golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Share Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Detroit (AP) — Michael Thorbjornsen pumped his right fist after making a 26-foot putt for birdie on his last hole to shoot 7-under 63 and reach 18 under to win his first PGA Tour title by two shots at the final Rocket Classic on Sunday.“Perfect pace, perfect read,” he said.The 24-year-old Thorbjornsen sealed his spot in the FedEx Cup playoff after rolling into the Motor City No. 69 in the standings. The top 70 advance to the postseason after next week’s Wyndham Championship.“Just to be in the playoff for the first time is very exciting, he said. ”It’s great to be playing against the best players in the world.”Thorbjornsen started the fourth round three shots behind leader Davis Riley, whose rough start opened opportunities for the field.“The start got the best of me and kind of put me behind the eight-ball early unfortunately,” Riley said. Thorbjornsen took advantage, surging into the lead at No. 14 with his third of four birdies in a six-hole stretch and closing with a clutch, curling putt that went in the right side of the cup.He’s the eighth first-time winner this season on the PGA Tour and the second straight, following Jackson Koivun’s victory last week at the 3M Open.“It was such a battle, playing with some great players,” Thorbjornsen said. “Everyone was in the mix after nine holes.” 3 MIN READ 2 MIN READ 3 MIN READ Xander Schauffele (65) briefly led during the final round and finished second, two shots behind Thorbjornsen.“I played really well and he just beat me straight up, so hats off to him,” Schauffele said. Riley (70) was another stroke behind in third, falling out of the lead with four bogeys.Rasmus Hojgaard (68) was alone in fourth, four shots back.Hideki Matsuyama (64), Matt Wallace (67), Kristoffer Ventura (68) were another stroke back, tied for fifth.Thorbjornsen was born in Cleveland, grew up in Massachusetts and attended Stanford. He won the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur over Akshay Bhatia, who has three PGA Tour wins.He went straight to the PGA Tour in 2024 as the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour University ranking. “I think it’s one of the best programs in golf,” Thorbjornsen said. “It’s changed all of our lives.”Thorbjornsen chipped in from 35 feet for birdie at No. 12 on a day when he accurately aimed for pins that left him with some short birdie putts before his long one on his 72nd hole.He had a bogey-free round, an accomplishment many other players on the leaderboard were unable to pull off on a day that started with rain and became windy when the clouds cleared.Riley started with a one-shot lead and quickly lost it — and couldn’t find his ball in fescue at No. 4 after about a dozen people helped him try — with three bogeys through six holes.He rallied with three birdies in a seven-hole stretch before giving back a stroke with a bogey at No. 17, taking away his chance to possibly force the tournament into a playoff.The eighth and final Rocket Classic drew its strongest field and biggest crowds.The PGA Tour is moving to a new model for 2028, effectively creating two tours and Rocket Mortgage decided not to exercise its option to host another tournament next year. The Detroit-based company isn’t interested in continuing to spend $15 million a year to be part of the second tier in the new era and didn’t want to double the costs to be part of the elite tier.“There have been some conversations about having a tournament here again,” tournament director Mark Hollis said. “Michigan deserves to have professional golf.”___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf Lage has been the Michigan Associated Press Sports Editor since 2000, serving as a beat writer for eight pro and college teams. He has covered the Winter Olympics four times.