J.T. Poston triumphs at Shriners Children’s Open, secures third PGA TOUR title

LAS VEGAS – The self-worth of the modern PGA TOUR professional is often measured by birdies and bogeys, drives and putts, misses and makes. It’s a binary existence, with the margins of success becoming thinner as the talent continues to rise at the top level of the sport.

At the end of the week, typically only one player is wholly content with their performance.

At the Shriners Children’s Open, J.T. Poston was that player. Poston earned his third PGA TOUR title with a one-shot victory over Doug Ghim, burying a 4-foot par putt on the final hole to avoid a playoff. Poston built a three-stroke lead into the final round at TPC Summerlin and outlasted a hard-charging Ghim (65) with a final-round, 4-under 67.

Poston, 31, came to Las Vegas having not teed it up on TOUR since the BMW Championship in August. Historically a strong putter, Poston averaged -1.134 Strokes Gained: Putting across his previous five events, a span that included three missed cuts. He hadn’t carded a top-10 finish since the RBC Heritage in April.

What changed for the nine-year pro from North Carolina? What gave a player the confidence to notch his first win in two-plus years while only carding three bogeys the entire week?

Poston recently became a father, welcoming daughter Katherine Scott “Scottie” Poston back in March of this year. After a grueling stretch of five tournaments in six weeks culminating in the BMW Championship, Poston took some time away to be with his family.

“We've had an incredible few weeks at home since the Playoffs,” Poston said. “She was born in March, so middle of the season. Just to have that extended time at home has been amazing. She changes every day, every week, and so just get to go see that and be there for her and my wife has been incredible.”

For Poston, this win is emblematic of a fresh new perspective on his game, and life.

“I would say the perspective is key in performing out here,” Poston said. “I think at times I was definitely guilty of taking it a little too seriously maybe or being a little too hard on myself. Since Scottie was born, I feel like that's been a little bit of a 180, and just realizing that golf is not the most important thing. It's honestly far from it.”

Poston entered the day in the same position as his last win on TOUR, the 2022 John Deere Classic. Poston woke up on that Sunday in Silvis, Illinois, with a three-shot advantage, and became the first member of the since-dubbed “Trophy House” to win at the John Deere, holding on for the victory with a final-round 69.

Prior to that round two years ago, Poston remarked how “it’s just tough to play with the lead.”

On Sunday, the man with the lead birdied his first hole, setting the tone for what would be a challenging but affirming round of a deserving champion. On the same day that the 2024 team bull riding champion was crowned just a few miles down the road, Poston rode the ebbs and flows of Sunday’s round, dodging the desert dangers of TPC Summerlin.

Poston didn’t light up his scorecard as many have previously at this event. He missed five greens, but crucially managed to get up and down four times. The flatstick was back for Poston; despite a nervy miss on 17, he gained 2.225 strokes on the green this week, ranking 12th in the field.

Besides the final putt to seal the win, the crux of the day came around the turn as Ghim eagled the ninth hole to draw within one stroke of the lead. Poston would show his mettle, finding the cup on par putts of 4 and 5 feet on Nos. 9 and 10, respectively, to stay in front.

“That was big,” he said following the win. “Doug was obviously making some birdies, and he made a nice three there on 9 and was applying the pressure. I told myself I was playing good, putting good, just trying to stay in my own lane. But, yeah, those putts on 9 and 10 to keep the lead and never quite give it up was big.”

What really earned Poston the win was his ability to avoid error, marking down just three bogeys on the week. Two of those blemishes came during Friday’s weather-delayed second round where wind gusts over 50 mph ripped through TPC Summerlin’s corridors. He responded by carding six birdies and an eagle on his way to a 65.

Poston already holds the distinction of being the only player since 1974 to win a tournament bogey-free when he earned his maiden win TOUR at the 2019 Wyndham Championship.

With this win, Poston will book a return trip to Augusta National in the spring for his fourth appearance at the Masters. After a missed cut in his first trip, Poston has finished T34 and T30 the last two years – the latter marking his best finish in a major thus far – perhaps beginning to crack the code at the legendary venue.

For the newly crowned three-time winner, performing at the majors is the next logical step. With a refreshed perspective, Poston will head into his 2025 season with the mindset of someone who wants to win, but the security of someone who doesn’t need to.

“It’s given me a little bit more freedom on the golf course, knowing regardless of how I play I get to go home and grab her, hug her, and be with her,” he said of his daughter.

“And so that's a huge win in my book.”