Teen golfer takes Baja title

Blades Brown secured his first PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, Mexico. The 19-year-old finished at 23-under par, a total of 265, to claim the top prize. This result grants him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and guarantees his entry into next year's PGA Championship.

Brown entered the final round seven shots behind leader Ben James. He responded with a 9-under 63 to force a playoff. James held a four-shot lead entering the final round at El Cardonal at Diamante. James salvaged a 70 with an eagle on the final hole, hitting a 285-yard shot to 20 feet on the par-5 18th.

The playoff unfolded on the 18th hole. On the first extra hole, both players missed eagle chances. On the second extra hole, James missed an 8-foot putt that grazed the right edge of the cup. Brown made his 3-foot putt to win. Brown, who is 19 years and 171 days old, is now the youngest tour winner since Bobby Dunkelberger in 1938.

Brown earned his PGA Tour card for 2027 by finishing in the top 20 on the Korn Ferry Tour points list. The win places him in the elite Championship Series when the PGA Tour's new model begins in 2028. He noted that he has known James since their junior days and expects future battles between them.

Michael Kim finished one shot behind Brown. Kim made a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole to post a 64, leaving him at 22-under. Denny McCarthy, who had not won in nine years, took the early lead with a 30-foot birdie on the 13th hole. He finished with a 69 after a double bogey on the 17th.

Brown, who graduated high school in January, spoke to reporters after the win. He described his intense focus on the game and its various tests. The victory caps a season where he turned pro two years ago while still a junior in high school. James, the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour University ranking last season, has recorded five top-five finishes and two runner-up results in 13 starts since turning pro.