DALLAS (AP) — Aaron Wise had to kick his mom out of his hotel room because she was too chatty during a four-hour rain delay before his best shot at a first PGA Tour victory.
The 21-year-old rookie’s caddie had to snap him back into the moment when Wise worried if he would get to finish the AT&T Byron Nelson as daylight faded with a comfortable lead over the final holes.
Wise didn’t have to wait an extra 12 hours to celebrate, and mom got a twilight hug after a tap-in and another wave to the thinned-out crowd on the 18th green at the new Trinity Forest course.
Pulling away at the turn after the long delay to start the final round Sunday, Wise shattered the tournament record at 23 under with a closing 6-under 65 to beat Marc Leishman by three strokes as both became the first to finish the Nelson at 20 under or better.
”I did a great job of staying focused on the present today,” said Wise, who won once each on the Web.com and Canadian tours. ”That was a big key for me winning. My mom, my girlfriend, my girlfriend’s family, a bunch of my other family was there.
”Mainly my mom and girlfriend were the two I wanted to hug and appreciate that time with.”
Leishman, who shared the third-round lead with Wise after leading the first two days, shot 68.
The treeless links-style par-71 layout, a few miles south of downtown Dallas, was defenseless with softer fairways and greens and little wind once the morning storms passed.
By: SCHUYLER DIXON
