By Staff and Wire Reports at Global Golf Post

Patton Kizzire has quietly established himself as a solid player on the PGA Tour, but until last week along Mexico’s Riviera Maya, he hadn’t found a way to win.

That changed with his strong performance during a long, rain-interrupted week when he was at or near the front of the leaderboard from start to finish. For the 31-year-old Alabama native, the victory changes his schedule – he can make his reservations for January’s Tournament of Champions in Maui and The Masters next April – and should bolster his confidence.

A two-time winner on the Web.com Tour, Kizzire had a pair of second-place finishes on the PGA Tour and arrived in Mexico on a good roll. He finished T10 at the Sanderson Farms Championship then shot 64 in the final round of the Shriners Hospital for Children’s Open to finish T4 the week before his breakthrough win.

“I’ve just been playing solid. It’s not real surprising to me. It might be surprising to other people but not to me.” Kizzire said after the first two rounds at Mayakoba.

On a double-round Sunday, Kizzire kept his cool and found himself with a four-stroke lead with six holes remaining. Fowler, playing his first event of the 2017-18 season, pushed Kizzire and was within one stroke after holing medium-length birdie putts at the 16th and 17th holes.

Kizzire deftly handled an awkward stance next to a bunker on his approach shot to the 72nd green and closed out Fowler with a par.

“It was pretty nerve-racking, but I felt good,” Kizzire said. “I’ve been in tough spots before. (Winning) Means a lot. I was glad to get it done. Rickie made me work hard.

“I want to win golf tournaments. It gives me a lot of confidence. There are a lot of good players out here. I want to keep working hard and win bigger things.”

Driver: Titleist 917D3 (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec 6X

3 Wood: Titleist 917F2 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Aldila Tour Blue TX-Flex

Hybrid: Titleist 913H (19 degrees)
Shaft: UST Mamiya Axiv Core X-Flex

Irons: Titleist 718 T-MB (4 iron), Titleist 718 CB (5, 6 iron), Titleist 718 MB (7-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Wedges: Titleist Vokey TVD prototype (52, 56 and 60 degrees)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100

Putter: Scotty Cameron GoLo Tour

Golf Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Republished with permission from Global Golf Post.