Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – Garrick Higugo took advantage of the late Joel Darmen meltdown to win the Windy Collares Punta Cana Championship on Sunday for his second PGA Tour victory.
Higugo scored an unexpected lead when Damen missed a 1-foot par putt in par 3 17th place on his second straight bogey, winning when Damen failed to score an 8-foot par attempt in par 4 18th place.
Higugo, who played in the group prior to Damen, bogeyed on the 17th, then on the 18th, with a total of 14 under 274, and was 18th. Damen shot 76 after leading at the end of each of the first three rounds in the event that won his only tour title in 2021.
Higugo, a 25-year-old left-hander from South Africa, also won the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree. The former UNLV player won a two-year exemption in the win, but did not win a spot at the Masters.
Damen was second-linked with Alejandro Tosti (68), Keith Mitchell (71), Jeremy Paul (72) and Michael Sorbjornsen (73). Thorbjornsen missed a 4-foot putt at 18.
Ben Polland is scheduled to defend his title at the PGA Professional Championship next week, tied for 53rd place with 1 after 74.