What do you think you need to win a tournament? Thomas Detry (-24) will never hear that question again in his life. Or at least not for a long time. It’s over. The can is open. He broke down the door. This Sunday, he claimed victory at the WM Phoenix Open. The first of his career on the PGA Tour. The second of his life as a professional. The silky golfer who was missing wins now has an important one. He has unlocked a new dimension, and now it’s time to rub your hands together.
It’s what he did and how he did it. He won in a big tournament, with a final round where he certainly started with a very good five-shot lead, but where things weren’t made easy for him. Scottie Scheffler put the pressure on him, coming from behind. Jordan Spieth put the pressure on him. Michael Kim put the pressure on him. And, above all, Daniel Berger put a lot of pressure on him. They went after him, trying to create doubts, to stir up the ghosts that have haunted him so much in recent years.
Detry’s response was fabulous. He held on with composure, with a good game plan, being aggressive without losing his head and hitting the shots needed at the right moments. He made two very important putts of more than four metres on holes 1 and 3. This gives you peace of mind. He saved a good par on the 5th after missing the tee shot. He executed an extraordinary shot on the 11th to say here I am, the last nine are starting and I’m going for it, aiming for a flag that was very close to the water and leaving himself a birdie putt of less than three metres. In.
However, the tournament was decided on holes 15 and 16. Up to that point, Berger tightened the noose as much as he could. First, he made a delicate birdie putt of just over a metre. One of those putts he has missed more than once or twice in the past. Even this time, he was tempted to go low, but it ended up in the bottom. Shortly before, Berger had made a great birdie and was within two shots. He needed that putt. He knew it.
Immediately after, Detry hit the shot of the day, the tournament, and his life. And he did it on the noisiest hole in the world. On the par 3 stadium hole at TPC Scottsdale. The corner of golf where every shot is experienced like a match in the Bombonera. There is no more pressure. Berger is pushing you to the limit, and a good handful of thousands of spectators are hoping you crash. The drama is addictive. It was the million-dollar test. The grand entrance to the winners’ paradise. No one will be able to tell him after today that he doesn’t know how to close tournaments. No one.
What a shot. He had just over 160 metres to the flag and left it just over a foot away. It’s over. The can is open. He broke down the door. In fact, it was Detry who broke down Berger, not the other way around. The American, urged by the Belgian’s great level, went for the flag with more zeal than necessary, flew the green, and ended up making a bogey. The five-shot lead returned and was even extended on the 17th with another great birdie, this time with a putt of about six metres. He ended up winning by seven strokes. In a big way. With four birdies in the last five holes. A round of 65 strokes.
A statement shot from Thomas Detry! 🎯
The leader sticks it to a foot on No. 16 in search of his first career win.
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/zWxAckWc1S
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 9, 2025
Spieth (-16) didn’t have enough to win, not even to trouble Detry, but he has shown that we are justified in believing he is back. Or at least on the way. The par he made on the 11th hole, from the desert, having to putt left-handed to get the ball out of a bush is pure Jordan. A delight. It can also be said that Justin Thomas (-15) is getting closer. Many weeks of signing good results. He doesn’t win, but he’s close. Today he finished with an eagle holing out from the fairway on the 18th.
Par after putting lefty from a bush?!
All @JordanSpieth could do was smile 😁 pic.twitter.com/9yiKaT1t4p
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 9, 2025
Walk-off eagle for @JustinThomas34!
JT hoops it from 102 yards 🦅 pic.twitter.com/UbINFpSryt
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 9, 2025
On the other hand, Scottie Scheffler (-9) ended up in a mess. A very short putt that slipped away on the 9th hole to go five under on the day and a very bad shot on the 12th knocked him down. From there, he couldn’t get anything right. He gave up. Unrecognisable. A partial of five over in seven holes to finish in 25th place. The chain came off as it seemed impossible for it to come off him.
Thomas Detry claims the first victory for a Belgian golfer on the PGA Tour. Additionally, he moves closer to the top 20 in the world and makes a giant leap in the rankings for the Ryder Cup. Another one raising his hand and shouting: “count on me for Bethpage”. He will always be able to remind Luke Donald of the shot he made on the 16th hole when someone talks to him about pressure and such…
