Golfbet recap: Matt McCarty captures maiden win in third TOUR start at Black Desert
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Matt McCarty won three times earlier this year on the Korn Ferry Tour. Now he’s a winner on the PGA TOUR in just his third-ever TOUR start (second after earning TOUR membership) after capturing the inaugural Black Desert Championship.
The left-hander from Scottsdale, Arizona, was 11-under for the weekend, shooting 64 on Saturday and 67 on Sunday to win by three shots at Black Desert Resort over Stephan Jaeger with a winning score of 23-under.
Matt McCarty secures two-shot lead behind 64 at Black Desert
McCarty was listed at +5500 at BetMGM Sportsbook before the tournament began. He topped the Korn Ferry Tour Points List in 2024 but gained entry into FedExCup Fall events by virtue of his Three-Victory Promotion, having also teed it up last week at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
He started the final round with a two-shot lead and was +170 to get the job done. Four players trailed by two entering Sunday: Joe Highsmith (+650), Kevin Streelman (+800), Harris English (+500), and Jaeger (+400).
Round-by-round odds for Matt McCarty to win Black Desert Championship (via BetMGM)
- Pre-tournament: +5500
- After Round 1 (T2, trailed by two): +650
- After Round 2 (T4, trailed by two): +400
- After Round 3 (led by two): +170
Matti Schmid fired a 9-under round of 62 and was the early leader in the clubhouse at 18-under, but he was soon matched by Jaeger and hard-charging Lucas Glover. McCarty was through five holes at this point, still hanging on to a two-shot advantage, and was now -125 to win the tournament.
McCarty birdied the par-5 seventh hole to get to 21-under and maintain a two-shot edge over Streelman, who had gotten it to 19-under with an eagle on the same hole. McCarty had now moved to a -175 favorite. Streelman was the second choice at +350 and Jaeger, now three shots back, was at +600.
Streelman closed the gap to just one shot with a birdie at No. 9. McCarty made the turn for home with a one-shot lead. He was now -225 to win it and Streelman was at +300. Glover was now the leader in the clubhouse at 19-under, after matching Schmid with a final-round 62. The lead was back to two shots, however, when Streelman made double bogey at No. 10. Streelman would never threaten the lead again, parring seven of his final eight holes.
Results for outright picks from Golfbet Experts
- Will Gray: Stephan Jaeger (+3300) – second
- Ben Everill: Harry Hall (+4000) – T35
- Chris Breece: Ben Griffin (+3300) – T11
- Matt DelVecchio: Daniel Berger (+4000) – T35
McCarty dropped to a -200 favorite after making his first bogey of the day at No. 12. It was the first sign of nerves out of the 26-year-old as his lead dipped to just one shot with six holes to play. And behind him, he had company as Jaeger had moved to 19-under with a birdie at No. 14. Jaeger was now the second choice to win the tournament at +300.
But McCarty removed all doubt with the championship shot at No. 14. He drove the green on the 310-yard par 4, leaving his tee shot to inside 4 feet from the cup. He tapped in for an eagle and now had a three-shot lead with four holes to play. McCarty moved to a -2000 favorite and this four-day stint in southern Utah was all but over.
Matt McCarty drives par-4 green to set up clutch eagle at Black Desert
McCarty got it done with a great week off the tee and with the putter. He finished eighth in the field for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and was No. 1 in the field in this category on Championship Sunday. He finished seventh for SG: Putting, gaining 6.58 shots on the field with the flatstick. He came out of the gate quickly, sitting tied for second after shooting 62 in the opening round on Thursday.
Golfers will now make the short two-hour drive from Ivins, Utah, to Las Vegas, Nevada, where Tom Kim will be doing his best Kansas City Chiefs impression – trying to “three-peat” at the Shriners Children's Open.
Results from Rob Bolton Sleeper Picks and Golfbet Insider
- Matti Schmid to win (+5000) fifth
- Justin Lower Top 5 Finish (+750) MC
- Patrick Fishburn Top 10 Finish (+275) MC
- Ben Kohles Top 20 Finish (+275) T46
- Austin Smotherman Top 40 Finish (+140) WD
- Chris Kirk Top 20 Finish (+138) T35
- Matt McCarty Top 10 Finish (+400) WIN
- Harry Hall Top 20 Finish (+175) T35
- Patton Kizzire, Justin Lower and Adam Svensson all Make Cut (+145) T43/MC/T2
- Wesley Bryan Top 40 Finish (+140) T21
- S.Y. Noh Top Korean (+160) MC
- David Skinns Top 40 Finish (+110) MC
- Kevin Tway Top 40 Finish (+150) T35
- Vince Whaley Top 40 Finish (+110) 67th
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