Carlos Ortiz holds off No. 1 Dustin Johnson to claim maiden title

Mexican golfer Carlos Ortiz after winning the Houston Open on Sunday. pic/AFP

Mexico's Carlos Ortiz captured his first US PGA Tour title on Sunday, firing five birdies in a five-under par 67 for a two-shot Houston Open victory over top-ranked Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama. Ortiz padded his margin with the final flourish of a birdie on 18 at Memorial Park Golf Course, a municipal layout in the Texas city hosting a PGA event for the first time since 1963. "It was awesome finishing with this birdie putt on 18," said Ortiz, who rolled in a 22-footer at the last for a 13-under par total of 267.

The Guadalajara native played college golf at North Texas University in Dallas, and maintains a home in Texas. "This is like my second home," he said. "There was a bunch of people cheering for me, Latinos and Texans. I'm thankful for all of them."

The tournament was the first to allow fans since the PGA Tour resumed in June after a three-month COVID-19 hiatus. The victory gives Ortiz a spot in next year's Masters, although not in the final major of the pandemic-reshuffled season that starts on Thursday at Augusta National.

The week provided an encouraging tune-up for the Masters for Johnson, Japan's Matsuyama and others, including four-time major winner Brooks Koepka.

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