DUBLIN, Ohio -- For 13 holes in his final round Sunday at the Memorial Tournament, J.T. Poston played like a guy who hadn’t finished inside the top 20 all season. It was almost as if he reckoned, based on his form the first five months this year, that he shouldn’t be leading Jack Nicklaus’ signature event. And as he reached the 14th tee, he was, indeed, no longer in the lead, having squandered all of his four-shot cushion after 54 holes.
But folding never entered his mind.
“I'm not a quitter, so I hung in there,” Poston said after consecutive bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13 left him three over par in the final round and trailing for the first time since Thursday. “I just told myself … I mean, I hit a great putt on 13, right where I wanted and just didn't fall. But I told myself on 14 tee I was one back with five to go, still felt like I had a chance. I needed to play the last five holes really well. And I told myself I knew I was going to be shaking Mr. Nicklaus' hand walking off 18 no matter what, and I want to be proud of the effort when I did. So just to do it the way that I did, birdieing three of the last five, is a dream come true and something I'll certainly carry with me the rest of my career.”
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J.T. Poston and his daughter Scottie are greeted by Jack Nicklaus after securing the 2026 Memorial Tournament.