Detroit, MI – Nate Lashley came into this tournament as a third alternate. He failed to advance from the Monday qualifier but his alternate status took effect when David Berganio Jr withdrew on Wednesday. Lashley would be the last player in the field to qualify for the Rocket Mortgage Classic. That may have been all the motivation he needed because he has been on tear, leading every round since Thursday.
With a 2:05 tee time Lashley had a chance to see how the field was shaping up but with a six-stroke lead going into the final round, it was his game to lose. Paired with J.T. Poston, they moved about the course greeted by fans at each hole. With the majority of superstars not making the cut to the third round, fans began to latch on to Lashley and others like, J.T. Poston, Ricke Fowler, Cameron Tringale and Patrick Reed .
Lashley became the fan favorite for the afternoon and that was evident by the cheers in the larger fan areas (holes 14-15-16). “It was great having them on my side. It made it feel like I wasn’t out there alone and I’m just really thankful for how great they were to me today.
“I was just happy to get in this week, and to end up winning is just a dream come true,” said Lashley.
With the win Lashley moves up to no 40 in the FedEx Cup standings and secures full PGA Tour membership through the 2020-2021 season. “Obviously getting into that Top-40, that’s going to be my goal for the rest of the year is to get to that Top-30 and make the TOUR Championship. So just looking forward to that with the rest of the season”
This was a big win for Lashley and even bigger win for Detroit who has never hosted a PGA Championship! With a sold out crowds both Saturday and Sunday I can see this event growing.
