Despite taking the lead into the back nine at Sunday’s final round of the Wells Fargo Championship, former University of Kansas golf standout Gary Woodland came up just short in his bid for another PGA Tour victory.
Woodland, who shot an even-par 71 on Sunday, finished the tournament at 7-under, three strokes behind winner Rory McIlroy and in fifth place all by himself.
Abraham Ancer (-9) took second and Viktor Hovland and Keith Mitchell tied for third at -8.
The top-five finish was the best of Woodland’s 2021 season to date and netted him $332,100 in prize money.
After starting the day two strokes behind Mitchell and in a second-place tie with McIlroy, Woodland climbed back to the top of the leaderboard with back-to-back birdies at Nos. 7 and 8 on the front nine.
He finished the front at Quail Hollow Club 2-under par but gave both strokes back on the back nine with back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 12 and 13.
Even though he remained within striking distance of the lead throughout the rest of the round, the hiccup knocked Woodland out of contention as the leaders never gave up any ground from there.
McIlroy, who finished at 10-under for the tournament, won for the first time in 18 months. It marked his 19th career PGA Tour victory.
This week’s finish was Woodland’s 12th top-20 showing and eighth in the top 10, in the two years since winning the 2019 U.S. Open, his first major championship win and the first by a Jayhawk.
The next stop on the PGA Tour is the AT&T Byron Nelson May 13-16 in McKinney, Texas.