Birdie blitz makes a good Fisk of it for first PGA win

Steven Fisk declared he wouldn’t let anything stand in the way of his first PGA Tour victory—and he backed up that confidence with a spectacular finish at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Closing with an eight-under 64 in Mississippi on Sunday, the American clinched a two-shot victory at the Country Club of Jackson.

Fisk and South African Garrick Higgo remained tied deep into the final holes, delivering an exciting showdown that had fans on the edge of their seats. Fisk missed a five-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th, but that would be his last mistake of the day. He then holed an impressive 40-foot birdie putt on the 16th, prompting someone in the crowd to shout, “Take that, Higgo.”

Higgo responded immediately, sinking a 12-foot birdie putt for his fourth consecutive birdie and playfully putting his finger to his lips with a smile. On the 17th hole, Fisk’s wedge shot danced around the cup before settling about a metre away, and Higgo matched him with a wedge landing just outside a metre.

It seemed the battle would come down to the final hole, but Higgo’s short birdie attempt caught the left lip and missed. Fisk seized the advantage with the birdie, then sealed his victory by hitting an approach to within four feet for one last birdie, finishing two shots clear.

“I came out today with an attitude that nothing was going to stop me,” Fisk said during a Golf Channel interview on the 18th green. “I just felt like I’d be standing right here, right now, before the round started. I know I’m good enough. I thought I could do it.”

Fisk finished at 24-under 264, a score that brings significant benefits for the 28-year-old. Prior to this win, Fisk was No. 135 in the FedEx Cup standings and facing the prospect of returning to the Korn Ferry Tour. Only the top 100 players at the end of the season keep full PGA Tour cards.

Now, with his victory, Fisk has earned a two-year exemption through 2027—a milestone that comes after five years of hard work to reach the PGA Tour. “To have some job security is pretty nice,” Fisk said. “It’s been a long, hard year.”

Meanwhile, Garrick Higgo appeared to have put himself out of contention with back-to-back bogeys to start the back nine. Yet he responded with an incredible run of four straight birdies to catch Fisk, nearly making it five in a row until the crucial miss on the 17th.

“My mindset was to birdie every hole,” Higgo said. “I almost did that. Steven did the same, so hats off to him.”

Other notable performances included Danny Walker, who was tied for the lead early on the back nine but faltered after hitting into trouble on the par-5 11th and again on the 17th. Walker shot a 69 and tied for third place alongside Vince Whaley (67) and Ryder Cup player Rasmus Hojgaard, who closed the weekend with rounds of 66-65.

Steven Fisk’s victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship marks a defining moment in his career and sets an inspiring tone for the remainder of the PGA Tour season.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/golf/birdie-blitz-makes-a-good-fisk-of-it-for-first-pga-win-c-20252543