MICHAEL Thorbjornsen capped a brilliant final-round charge with a clutch birdie on the last hole to claim his first PGA Tour title, shooting a bogey-free seven-under-par 63 for a two-shot victory at the final Rocket Classic on Sunday (Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, PH time).
According to the Associated Press (AP), the 24-year-old American, who finished at 18-under 262, pumped his right fist after sinking a 26-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.
“Perfect pace, perfect read,” Thorbjornsen said.
The victory also secured his place in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. He entered the week ranked No. 69 in the standings, with the top 70 advancing after next week’s Wyndham Championship.
Thorbjornsen began the final round three shots behind leader Davis Riley but capitalized on Riley’s early struggles to seize control of the tournament.
Thorbjornsen surged into the lead with a birdie on the 14th hole, the third of four birdies during a six-hole stretch, before closing with the decisive birdie on the 18th.
The win made him the eighth first-time champion on the PGA Tour this season and the second in as many weeks after Jackson Koivun captured the 3M Open.
Xander Schauffele fired a final-round 65 to briefly take the lead before settling for second at 16 under.
“I played really well and he just beat me straight up, so hats off to him,” Schauffele said.
Riley carded a 70 to finish third at 15 under after four bogeys derailed his title bid. Rasmus Hojgaard (68) placed fourth at 14 under, while Hideki Matsuyama (64), Matt Wallace (67), and Kristoffer Ventura (68) tied for fifth at 13 under.
The AP noted that Thorbjornsen, a Cleveland native who grew up in Massachusetts and played collegiately at Stanford, won the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur before earning his PGA Tour card in 2024 as the top-ranked player in the PGA Tour University program.
“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 on the 12th hole and completed the final round without a bogey despite difficult conditions that included early rain and gusty winds.
Riley, meanwhile, lost his one-shot overnight lead after opening with three bogeys in his first six holes, including one on the fourth after he and several spectators searched unsuccessfully for his ball in the fescue. He rallied with three birdies but bogeyed the 17th, ending his hopes of forcing a playoff.
The tournament marked the eighth and final edition of the Rocket Classic. According to AP, tournament director Mark Hollis said discussions are underway about bringing another PGA Tour event to Michigan after Rocket Mortgage opted not to continue as title sponsor under the tour’s new competition model beginning in 2028. / LBG
