When Patton Kizzire found what he’s been looking for, he put it to good use.
Armed with a refreshed attitude as the PGA Tour’s fall season began at the Procore Championship, Kizzire cruised to his first victory in more than six years, winning on Sunday at Silverado Resort in Napa, California, by five shots over David Lipsky.
It earned Kizzire a champagne shower from some of his fellow tour players who live near him on the south Georgia coast and waited greenside for him to finish Sunday.
“It feels so good. I’ve worked really hard. To come out and play the way I did and pull away from the field and keep the pedal down and play like I could play, that was so much fun,” said Kizzire, who finished at 20-under-par 268.
After missing the FedEx Cup playoffs by finishing 132nd in points, Kizzire underwent a bit of a mental reset.
He began working with a mental coach near his home in St. Simon’s Island, with the focus on improving his attitude. It involved walking barefoot in the grass and hugging the occasional tree, which Kizzire said he did in Napa.
The results were undeniable.
“I missed the playoffs, so I wanted to make a little bit of an adjustment with my golf game, mental game and physical game. It's been really cool to just get organized and try to be more playful out there and be unflappable; that's kind of my word,” Kizzire said.
“I've had a lot of positive vibes and positive thoughts. I was looking forward to bringing it here and continuing that and growing that. This is a good place, this is a great golf course and I enjoy playing it. There's always the doubt of whether you're going to do it or not, but the positivity has outweighed that doubt and I've been able to trump it.”
By winning the Procore Championship, Kizzire, 38, earned $1.08 million from the $6 million purse, jumped to 70th in points and secured his full tour privileges for the next two years.
Kizzire won twice in 2017-18, but his winless streak had stretched to more than 6½ years when he arrived at Silverado. He missed six consecutive cuts early in 2024.
A T8 in the Barracuda Championship in July was Kizzire’s best previous finish this season and came in the middle of a stretch in which he missed three cuts in five starts.
“I think what was wrong, you couldn't see it in the stats,” Kizzire said. “I think the consistency comes from a solid mental foundation and allowing yourself to compete. So, I've been working on that, and that's been a huge boost for me.”
It was also an important week for Lipsky, who started the tournament 162nd in the points race and playing to solidify his status for 2025. With his runner-up finish, Lipsky jumped to 101st in the points race and will likely be fully exempt next year.
Ron Green Jr.