WiretoWire: Nico Echavarria edges out stars in Japan

Star power littered the leaderboard Sunday at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, but it was a rising star who triumphed for his second PGA TOUR title in Japan. Nico Echavarria stared down Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler – and quickly ascending rookie Max Greyserman – with a final-round 67 at ACCORDIA GOLF Narashino Country Club for a 20-under 260 total, one stroke clear of Thomas and Greyserman; Fowler took solo fourth at 17-under.

Echavarria, who led by two through 54 holes, slipped out of the lead with a bogey at the par-5 14th Sunday, where his third shot missed the green right and he received embedded-ball relief but couldn’t get up and down for par. Yet the Colombian rebounded with birdies at the par-3 16th (from 13 feet) and par-5 18th (on a two-putt from 39 feet) for the win.

It has been a steady ascent in professional golf for Echavarria, 30, who spent time on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica and the Korn Ferry Tour before earning his first TOUR card for the 2023 season. He earned his first TOUR title at the 2023 Puerto Rico Open but arrived at the ZOZO without an individual top-10 finish on TOUR since that win. After missing the cut at last week’s Shriners Children’s Open, Echavarria spent ample range time over the weekend in Las Vegas. He dug it out of the dirt and is now a repeat TOUR winner – also qualifying for The Sentry and his first Masters, among other perks.

“I’m just super excited,” Echavarria said afterward. “It's been a lot of work, it's been a lot of rough weeks, but moments like this are the ones that make everything better.”

First Stage of Q-School wrapping up

Four sites hosting the First Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry concluded play on Friday afternoon, with top finishers advancing to PGA TOUR Q-School’s Second Stage, which will be contested in late November and early December. Players who advance from Second Stage will qualify for PGA TOUR Q-School’s Final Stage, Dec. 12-15, contested at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club with a chance at PGA TOUR cards. The top five finishers (and ties) at PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry’s Final Stage will earn 2025 PGA TOUR membership, with various levels of Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas status available to other finishers. Some notables to have advanced from First Stage include James Nicholas, a Yale alum who doubles as a popular content creator, George Bryan IV, the brother of PGA TOUR member Wesley Bryan, and Willie Mack III, a winner of over 70 mini-tour events and standout APGA Tour pro.

Video of the week

Mic check

“If it wasn’t me, he’s probably next in line for who I’d root for, no offense to anyone else.” – Max Greyserman, who finished runner-up at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP to his past Zurich Classic of New Orleans partner Nico Echavarria

By the numbers

3 – Padraig Harrington hangs on to win the Simmons Bank Championship, his third PGA TOUR Champions victory of the season.

36 – The top 36 players on PGA TOUR Champions’ season-long Charles Schwab Cup standings after the Simmons Bank Championship have advanced to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship, slated for Nov. 7-10 in Phoenix.

9 – You can receive an annual 12-month pass to PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+ for the price of a nine-month subscription. And it’s not just golf! Save $20 and subscribe today for only $99 through Dec. 2 to watch soccer, UFC, hockey, college sports and more!