Playing out of the penultimate twosome, World No. 176 Kristoffer Ventura navigated a bogey-free 2-under-par 35-35=70 in the final round of the Safeway Open to finish up on 17-under 271, down three places to a career-best T7, four short of champion Stewart Cink (65).
This was the 25-year-old’s second Safeway after a T62 last year, and his first top 10 in 21 career events, bettering a previous-best T18 at last season’s Shriners. For the week, he recorded rounds of 69-66-66-70, and tallied two eagles and 20 birdies, versus five bogeys and one double. On Sunday, the 25-year-old landed eight (of 14) fairways and 16 greens in regulation, gaining 0.817 strokes off-the-tee and 0.799 around-the-green, No. 1 in SG: Around with a cumulative 4.922. He scribbled down two birdies at holes 5 and 14, both from inside of seven feet, registering a commercial 1.875 putts per GIR and -1.457 SG: Putting with 32 total putts. The Oklahoma State alum’s prowess around-the-green really secured this career-best finish for him, as he ranked 66th (of 73) in SG: Approach (-3.343).