Todd wins Byron Nelson for first PGA Tour title

IRVING, Texas — Brendon Todd won the Byron Nelson Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, closing with a bogey-free 4-under 66 for a two-stroke victory over Mike Weir.

It was the 77th career PGA Tour event for Todd. He earned $1,242,000, a two-year PGA Tour exemption and a spot next year in the Masters.

Todd finished at 14-under 266. He took the lead for good with birdies at Nos. 9 and 10, and went on to become the eighth first-time winner this season.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Weir, the 2003 Masters champion who won the last of his eight PGA Tour titles in 2007, finished with a 67. Charles Howell III and Marc Leishman tied for third at 10 under.

After Todd hit his tee shot at the 195-yard second into a greenside bunker, his shot from the sand landed on the green and rolled in for a birdie. When he knocked in a 14-foot birdie putt at the 181-yard fifth, he tied Weir — who made a bogey on No. 6 — for the lead at 12 under.

Todd took the lead for good with consecutive birdies midway through his round, a 6-footer at No. 9 and a 24-footer at No. 10.

Weir had his best tournament since finishing second behind Dustin Johnson at Pebble Beach in 2009. The Canadian left-hander hadn’t had a top-25 finish since 2010, the same year he suffered a partial ligament tear in his right elbow before a stretch when he missed 17 cuts in a row — including all 14 tournaments he started in 2012.

Howell shot a 67 with a three-putt bogey on the final hole, while Leishman had three bogeys in a five-hole stretch on the back nine for a closing 68.

Todd is the fifth former University of Georgia player to win on the PGA Tour this season. He joined Masters champion Bubba Watson, Harris English, Russell Henley and Chris Kirk.

An errant tee shot at the 185-yard 13th that settled at the base of a tree, forcing the slender 6-foot-3 Todd to set up left-handed — which would have been natural for the 44-year-old Weir — and strike the ball with the back of his bladed club. The ball popped up slightly and rolled to 7 feet of the cup, and Todd saved par.

Todd played his last 31 holes at TPC Four Seasons without a bogey.

Weir had birdies on four of the first five holes. He was 13 under and ahead of Todd by two strokes when his tee shot at No. 5 settled 1½ feet from the cup. That came after Weir blindly hit out of a fairway bunker to 3 feet at No. 4.

But Weir missed the fairway and green for a bogey at the 431-yard sixth hole at the same time Todd was tapping in at the fifth.

Boo Weekley (68) was 9 under to tie for fifth with James Hahn (70). Weekley is the defending champion at Colonial, about 30 miles away and the next tournament.

Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 British Open in the final group with Todd, had already slipped four strokes back at the turn before bogeys at Nos. 10-11. The 2010 British Open champion shot 74, 10 strokes worse than Saturday, to tie for 11th at 6 under.

Martin Kaymer won The Players Championship last weekend and opened at the Nelson with consecutive 67s. But he shot 71 Saturday before a bogey-birdie-bogey start Sunday on way to a 72 and tied for 29th at 3 under.

That was a stroke better than Jimmy Walker, who will remain No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings.

Jordan Spieth, the 20-year-old Dallas native ranked eighth in the world, had a closing 68 to finish 2-under and tied for 37th at the tournament where he made the cut as an amateur at ages 16 and 17. He finished two strokes behind 17-year-old Scott Scheffler, the top junior golfer from Dallas who played on a sponsor exemption.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Shorewood's Meiron Bereket dribbles past Bellevue's Masora Takashima during a 3A State boys soccer quarterfinal game on May 24, 2025 at Shoreline Stadium. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Shorewood boys soccer clinches first state semifinal in 11 years

The No. 1 Stormrays prevailed 7-6 in penalties over No. 8 Bellevue after a scoreless match.

Jackson players celebrate teammate MJ Holcomb scoring during the game against Edmonds-Woodway on Wednesday, April 2, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
State prep baseball roundup for Saturday

Timberwolves win two, bound for state semis.

Snohomish junior Abby Edwards delivers a pitch during the Panthers' 3-2 loss to Liberty in the 3A State Softball semifinals in Lacey, Washington on May 24, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Snohomish softball falls in the 3A state semifinal

The Panthers miss out on third straight championship appearance with 3-2 loss to Liberty.

Edmonds-Woodway's Alex Plumis wards off Monroe's Cody Duncan during a 3A State second-round game on May 23, 2025 at Mercer Island High School. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Edmonds-Woodway boys soccer stuns Monroe with shootout win at State

The No. 11 Warriors won penalties 4-3 after a thrilling 2-2 game.

Stanwood sophomore Olivia Dahl strikes out to end the game, a 5-4 loss to Garfield in the 3A State Softball quarterfinals in Lacey, Washington on May 23, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Stanwood softball shocked in 3A state quarterfinal

The top-seed Spartans fall 5-4 to No. 8 Garfield after allowing three runs in the sixth.

Prep state tournament results and schedule

Here’s a look at what’s happening this postseason.

The Jackson High School softball team celebrates after defeating Skyline in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament at Columbia Playfields in Richland, Wash. on Friday, May 23, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Peacocke / Jackson H.S. Athletics)
State prep softball roundup for May 23

Jackson, Snohomish advance to state semifinals.

Snohomish boys and girls win district track titles

Snohomish used its superior depth to win both the boys… Continue reading

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for May 11-17

The Athlete of the Week nominees for May 11-17. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Stanwood sophomore Addi Anderson (second from right) and the Stanwood infielders -- sophomore Jemma Lopez, senior Rubi Lopez, junior Taylor Almanza and senior Reagan Ryan -- gather in the circle between at-bats during the Spartans' 3-0 win against Roosevelt in the 3A State Softball Round of 16 in Lacey, Washington on May 23, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Stanwood softball reaches first state quarterfinal since 2010

Addi Anderson notches 13 strikeouts in 3-0 win against Roosevelt.

The Jackson High School softball team celebrates after defeating Skyline in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament at Columbia Playfields in Richland, Wash. on Friday, May 23, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Peacocke / Jackson H.S. Athletics)
Prep softball roundup for Friday, May 23

Jackson, Lake Stevens among first-round winners at state.

Shorewood senior Matthew Bereket (right) lunges in to challenge a kick from Central Kitsap freshman Eli Daniels during the Stormrays' 1-0 win in the 3A Boys Soccer State Round of 16 in Shoreline, Washington on May 22, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Shorewood boys soccer exorcises playoff demons against Central Kitsap

The top-seeded Stormrays overcome two years of upsets to beat Cougars 1-0 in 3A second round.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.