Tommy Gainey birdied his final three holes to capture the first Korn Ferry Tour event of the year and earn his first worldwide victory in more than seven years.
Gainey started the final round of the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic with a one-shot lead, but he was tied with John Oda as he played the 16th hole. There Gainey rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt and added another birdie on the next hole to reach 10 under and essentially put the tournament away.
This marks his first Korn Ferry win since 2010 and his first win anywhere since the 2012 RSM Classic, which remains his lone PGA Tour victory. It also gives the 44-year-old a leg up on regaining full-time PGA Tour status for the 2020-21 season, which he last held in 2014.
Full-field scores from the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic
The victory also comes one month after Gainey was arrested for solicitation in Florida as part of a widespread prostitution sting. He tied for 76th the following week at Korn Ferry Tour Q-School.
“With the injuries that I’ve been through, the other troubles that I’ve had, I’m very lucky and very blessed,” Gainey said. “This means everything.”
Gainey finished four shots clear of Oda and Dylan Wu, who led by seven shots through 36 holes but ballooned with a third-round 76. Veteran Sean O’Hair tied for fourth while Ollie Schniederjans headlined the group tied for 11th at 2 under.
This is the first of two straight Korn Ferry events in the Bahamas, with the scene shifting to nearby Baha Mar next week for another Wednesday finish.