NAPLES, Fla. — Patty Tavatanakit made an impressive 25-foot birdie putt, followed by Jake Knapp executing a challenging pitch shot to set up another birdie, which propelled the UCLA pair to a one-shot victory with a score of 7-under 65 at the Grant Thornton Invitational on Sunday.

The duo, who each won on their respective tours earlier in the year—Knapp at the Mexico Open and Tavatanakit at the Honda LPGA Thailand—demonstrated remarkable teamwork, particularly in the crucial final moments of the competition held at Tiburon Golf Club.

Jeeno Thitikul, the victor of the LPGA finale at Tiburon last month with a prize of $4 million, made an 8-foot birdie putt on the final hole, partnering with Tom Kim to finish in second place with a score of 64.

Akshay Bhatia and Jennifer Kupcho experienced a difficult 18th hole which resulted in their sole bogey in the modified fourballs format, placing them in third.

The final hour of the tournament was highly competitive, with several teams, including Canadian golfers Corey Conners and Brooke Henderson, who shot a remarkable 62, briefly sharing the lead before time ran out on them.

Knapp and Tavatanakit began the day with a two-shot lead but found themselves trailing for the first time when Bhatia sunk a remarkable 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 17th hole.

In the modified format, players alternate hitting tee shots, switching balls for subsequent shots. Knapp’s solid tee shot on the par-3 16th landed on the green, where Tavatanakit made a crucial left-to-right breaking putt to reclaim a tie for the lead.

“I’ve had a great week putting,” Tavatanakit commented. “It’s all been really enjoyable. The chemistry between us has been excellent.”

Both players found themselves in challenging positions off the tee at the accessible 17th hole, with Knapp landing in the water. Utilizing Tavatanakit’s drive, he then played from the native area, landing short of the green into a slight dip. His pitch shot left him with a 3-foot birdie opportunity, giving them the edge over Bhatia and Kupcho.

On the final hole, Bhatia misjudged his approach and ended up in the water, while Kupcho’s shot strayed to the right, leading her putt to roll about 10 feet past the hole. Bhatia attempted to play twice from the water, and Kupcho ultimately missed her par putt.

This series of events allowed Knapp and Tavatanakit to secure a two-shot lead, and they sealed their victory with a simple par, finishing the tournament at 27-under 189. Each player earned $500,000 from the $4 million total purse.

Kim and Thitikul finished strong, making birdies on the last two holes to secure second place, each winning $280,000.