KH Lee got right to work Thursday in his title defense at the AT&T Byron Nelson, firing a 64 to get into the mix at TPC Craig Ranch in the Dallas suburb of McKinney, Texas.
He was four back after 18 holes and after scores of 68 and 67 on Friday and Saturday, he was four back with 18 to go.
Lee hasn’t won in the year since that first PGA Tour victory and he had a slump of three straight missed cuts before snapping that skid a week ago at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Sunday, he had five birdies on his front nine and took an outright lead with an eagle on No. 12. Another birdie on No. 13 got him to 25 under par.
On 17, Lee had an awkward stance in a greenside bunker and blasted out past the hole but then made a clutch 12-footer for par to keep a 1-shot lead. On the 18th hole, he tapped in for birdie to close with a 63 to get to 26 under, good for a two-shot lead.
Jordan Spieth, who had putts on the 14th and 17th holes, each for a birdie that would’ve tied for the head, but he missed them both. On 18, he was just off the green in two on the par-5 closing hole and needed to chip in for eagle to force a playoff but missed just to the left. I have ended up in second.
Sebastian Munoz, who opened with a 60 on Thursday to become the first golfer in PGA Tour history to have two scores of 60 or better in a single season, held the 54-hole lead by a shot over Spieth.
Hideki Matsuyama capped a final-round 62 with an eagle the 18th hole to get to 24 under, which was good enough for the clubhouse lead at the time.
Xander Schauffele tied for the low score of the week after posting a career-low 61 on Sunday. James Hahn had a 61 on Saturday.