Honda Classic: Sungjae Im wins Honda Classic to claim first PGA Tour win

Leaderboard

-6 Im

-5 M. Hughes

-4 Fleetwood

Day four

South Korea's Sungjae Im claimed his first PGA Tour title in the Honda Classic as overnight leader Tommy Fleetwood had to settle for a tie for third place.

Im's victory added to a superb weekend for our expert golf tipster Ben Coley, who also saw his 250/1 selection Sami Valimaki win the Oman Open to completed a remarkable 8533/1 double.

Im carded a closing 66 at PGA National to finish six under par and a shot ahead of Canada's Mackenzie Hughes, with Fleetwood another stroke back following a final round of 71.

Fleetwood took a one-shot lead into the final round and stretched his lead to three with birdies at the first and second, only to drop shots on the sixth, eighth and 13th to fall two strokes behind.

A birdie from 25 feet on the daunting par-three 17th meant Fleetwood needed another on the par-five 18th to force a play-off, but the Ryder Cup star pushed his approach into the water to the right of the green as a spectator appeared to scream "get in the hole" at the top of his backswing.

"You live or die by the shots you hit," Fleetwood told Sky Sports. "I had a chance on the last. The swing wasn't there all day and I had a few iffy shots in me.

"I didn't get anything out of the round until 17. It was such a great moment, I felt great walking to the last and hit a great tee shot.

"It was a hard number (for the second shot), I had to hit a massive cut with a five wood and came out of it and that was that. It's golf, I'm upset but I'm fine.

"I had a stretch today where not a lot happened but feel like I'm doing a good job of staying there, I'm getting there more and more often and yeah I'm not winning them all, but coming down the last hole I've been there every time and it's just not happened."

Im began the day three shots behind Fleetwood but birdied four of the first five holes before dropping a shot on the seventh.

A birdie on the 11th was followed by back-to-back bogeys but the 21-year-old responded superbly to birdie the 15th and 17th and crucially saved par from a greenside bunker on the last.

"I've been in this spot many times and just gaining the experience throughout the weeks and that really helped me stay in the moment," Im told NBC through an interpreter.

"Those experiences really helped, especially coming down the last few holes and I pulled out the win.

"I knew I was one back going into the last four and just wanted to get a little bit more aggressive rather than be tentative on those holes. I was hitting the ball really good and felt that I could get at those pins."

Day three

Tommy Fleetwood produced a stunning finish to take control of the Honda Classic at five under par.

On another difficult day at PGA National, one in which Mackenzie Hughes moved up 51 places with a round of 66, it was Fleetwood's putter which allowed him to separate himself from the pack over the tricky closing stretch.

He leads by one from Brendan Steele, with Lee Westwood and Luke Donald a further shot back and tied for third place.

Fleetwood was level par through 10 holes before bursting into life with birdies at the 13th and 14th, latterly courtesy of a 45-foot putt.

His charge looked set to come to an abrupt halt with a plugged lie over the back of the 15th green, but a good bogey putt meant he got out of that perilous par-three with damaged limited and from there he took advantage.

A par at the 16th was followed by another monster birdie putt at the 17th, before two fine shots to the last set up a tap-in birdie in an eventful 67 which moved him into pole position.

"It's always nice to get off this golf course and relax," Fleetwood told Sky Sports.

"I feel like I haven't holed any mid-rangers or anything. Eventually holed a couple of long ones today and it makes a difference.

"I've played well. It's been a work in progress, from last week into this week. This place never helps - you're hitting in crosswinds all day, every day. Today felt really good, I drove it really well off the tee.

"Tomorrow will be the same - just stand up and trust my driver, which is my strength.

"It's a lovely feeling (being in contention). Going to go out tomorrow and be playing on a Sunday with a chance to win a golf tournament.

"Very, very happy with the way I've played. There's no harder test than this golf course and my game's been holding up so far.

"Hope I play well, but if I don't, life goes on."

Overnight leader Steele started with a bang, birdies at the first and third taking him to seven-under, but he was three-over from there despite an excellent birdie at the penultimate hole.

Westwood meanwhile failed to take advantage of an ideal drive at the last but remains close behind his compatriot, having beaten him to the title in Abu Dhabi at the start of the year.

Alongside Westwood is Donald, whose short-game kept him in the mix, while a group of players on two-under includes Charl Schwartzel, Sungjae Im, and local favourite Daniel Berger.

Day two report

England were right in the thick of it after the second day of the Honda Classic with Luke Donald and Lee Westwood among those tied for second at Palm Beach.

Donald had a much-improved second day on the Palm Beach Gardens course, following up Thursday's 70 with a stellar four-under 66.

Meanwhile, Westwood continued his consistent form to post a one-under 69.

Joining the British pair on second-place was American JT Poston, who shot 67 and 69 in his first two days on the course.

Leading the tournament at the halfway mark was Brendan Steele.

The American followed up a 68 on Thursday with a 67 on day two to take a one-shot lead into the second half of the tournament.

Day one report

In his first appearance at the PGA event, the 29-year-old was able to start strongly in cold conditions and did not look back after an eagle at the third.

Lewis is joined in a share for the lead by American Harris English, who hit a birdie at the 18th to also finish four under par.

One shot back is Lee Westwood in a tie for third after carding 67, the same score as four Americans including two-time major winner Zach Johnson.

Fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood, Luke Donald and Ian Poulter are four shots off the lead after they had to settle for level-par 70s.

Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, the only member of the world's top 10 involved at Palm Beach, struggled to a four-over-par 74 but fellow Americans Rickie Fowler (76) and Jim Furyk (78) fared even worst.