Andrew Kozan hadn’t reached weekend play in a Korn Ferry Tour tournament since April, when he finished tied for 40th in the Club Car Championship in Savannah, Georgia.
But after 11 consecutive missed cuts, the former Auburn golfer broke through in a big way on Sunday, when he won the Utah Championship with a 21-under-par 263 at Oakridge Country Club in Farmington, Utah.
Kozan finished the tournament on Sunday the same way he started it on Thursday – by carding an 8-under 63. He had entered the final round tied for 13th and three shots off the lead. Kozan teed off 70 minutes before the final pairing on Sunday, causing him to watch the conclusion of the round in the clubhouse with his wife of two months, Caylin.
Kozan came home with a 30 on the back nine on Sunday, with birdies on the 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes.
Kozan finished one stroke ahead of Justin Suh, Patrick Fisburn and Ashton Van Horne. Suh also shot 63 on Sunday, with Fishburn and Van Horne at 64 for the round.
Kozan won $135,000 by taking the top spot on Sunday. In his other 19 outings during his first season on the Korn Ferry Tour, he had earned $22,410 in prize money. In his only appearance on the PGA Tour, Kozan finished tied for 30th at the Honda Classic on Feb. 27 to win $43,133.
Kozan played at Auburn from the 2017-18 through the 2020-21 seasons.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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