Kurt Kitayama parlays red-hot weekend into 3M Open victory

Kurt Kitayama shot 6-under-par 65 and held on to win the 3M Open by one stroke Sunday in Blaine, Minn., for his second PGA Tour victory.
Kitayama finished at 23-under 261 at TPC Twin Cities for a one-stroke decision on Sam Stevens, who posted 66. Kitayama made a total of 20 birdies in the two weekend rounds.
David Lipsky and England’s Matt Wallace both registered 64s to share the distinction for the best score of the round, and they finished tied for third place at 20 under along with Pierceson Coody (67) and Jake Knapp (68).
Kitayama, who tied a course and tournament record with a third-round 60 on Saturday, pretty much rode that wave of momentum. He had birdies on the first three holes — including a chip-in from the greenside rough on No. 3 — and was 5 under through six holes on the way to a 29 on the front nine.
But after a bogey on No. 11, his lead was just two on Wallace, who had already completed his round. Kitayama rebounded with birdies on two of the next three holes.
Yet it took him three putts to finish the par-3 17th, with the bogey cutting the margin to one stroke. But Stevens, who had birdies on Nos. 14-16 to pull within striking distance, was all over the place on the 18th with his first three shots into the rough and scrambled for par.
Kitayama, in the next group, had a smooth final hole and won it with par.
Wallace produced a bogey-free round, but finished with pars on his final three holes.
Chris Gotterup, who was aiming for his second title in three weeks, didn’t make a charge en route to a 69, tying for 10th place at 18 under.
Kevin Roy also registered 64 on Sunday, ending at 13 under.