Kentucky Derby weekend, May The Fourth Be With You, Cinco de Mayo, whatever you celebrated over the last three days, the first weekend in May of 2019 was made for a party. Max Homa had a party, as did Scott McCarron, Mikko Korhonen, and Robby Shelton. There were first-time winners on two tours, along with a victory from a golfer who wants to establish himself as his tour’s best, and a winner who nearly gave it all away. Will May 5th be remembered as the start of something special, some day down the road? Have a look and let us know, as we offer up this week’s Tour Rundown.

PGA Tour’s Eddie Pepperell-light takes 1st title at Wells Fargo 

Max Homa won’t ever be confused with the wit of Eddie Pepperell, the funniest golf guy on Twitter. Homa has a fine education from Berkley, but his Twitter takes are not nearly as rakish as those of the Englishman. Still, Homa has one more PGA Tour victory than Pepperell, thanks to a victory at Quail Hollow, one of the tour’s most daunting and difficult tracks. Homa, Joel Dahmen and Jason Dufner were all in the mix on Saturday night, but ironically, it was the more-experienced Dufner who caved.

The 2013 PGA Champion blew north to +2 and a 4th-place tie. Dahmen, best known previously for calling out Sung Kang for cheating at the Quicken Loans, followed opening 66s with closing 70s, to finish at -12. A fine performance, to be sure, but Homa ran for homa like a Derby champion on Sunday. 5 birdies and a clean card through 15 holes in round four were enough for the Walker Cupper to make bogey at 16 and still win by 3. Dahmen came 2nd at -12, with Justin Rose in Show position at -11. Homa was part of a stellar 2013 USA Walker Cup side, but transition from top amateur to top pro is an unspecific science. Justin Thomas was a part of that team, as was Michael Kim. Kim has won, and we know what Thomas has done. Homa now joins them as tour winners, but will he reveal more, to get to the next level?

This second shot into the par-5 15th led to a two-putt birdie.@maxhoma23 enters the Green Mile with a four-stroke lead.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/t0GEggSVns

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 5, 2019

Korhonen captures 2nd European Tour title at China Open

A lot of names were in the mix as the China Open drew to a close this weekend. Benjamin Hebert of France made an attempt to win his first top-shelf professional title A week after claiming his 1st big event, Spain’s Jorge Campillo joined the hunt, in search of a quick 2nd. Mikko Korhonen of Finland birdied the 17th hole to reach 20-under par, then watched as Hebert birdied the 18th to tie him, one shot clear of Campillo. Off to extra holes they went, but the journey was brief. Both golfers returned to the drivable 18th, all of 320 yards, and nearly reached the putting surface. Korhonen was able to get up and down for 3, while Hebert came up shy of a matching birdie. In my opinion, Korhonen’s all-or-nothing approach to the playoff was the correct one. Playing safe with a chance to win is a fool’s errand; when a stroke-play event is down to you and the other guy, go for the win!.

Mikko Korhonen, the 2019 Volvo China Open Champion! ???? pic.twitter.com/o6V0SIux9w

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 5, 2019

Another Web.Com Tour win for Sweet Home Alabama at the Nasvhille Golf Open

Robby Shelton and Scottie Scheffler played on different astral planes this week. Shelton was 4 better than Scheffler on Thursday. The tables turned as Sheffler went 6 better on Friday. Shelton returned on Saturday with a 9-stroke differential, and Sunday returned the advantage to Scheffler, this time by 7 strokes. Of course, all this topsy-turvy play assured that the two youngsters with unlimited potential would tie for first at -15. One behind them was Sweden’s Henrik Norlander, whose 72nd-hole birdie brought him agonizingly close to the top. S and S headed out to the par-five closer at Nashville GAC.

Shelton had been oh-s0-close this year (come to think of it, so had Scheffler) and fittingly, a birdie on extra hole one by the former University of Alabama golfer brought him his first Web.Com title. As for Scheffler, the former University of Texas athlete had to find consolation in his best Web.Com tour finish of his career. It won’t surprise anyone to see both golfers earn battlefield promotions during the 2019 regular season. Their games are more refined than any other golfers on the Triple-A circuit, and a budding rivalry is the best thing for the tour, and for them. They don’t have to hate each other, but they do have to hate the thought of losing to the other. If we’re lucky, this rivalry will carry all the way to the PGA Tour, where things could really get fun.

Our top-5 shots from the final round @NashGolfOpen, including Robby Shelton’s two clutch birdies to force a playoff and take the title. ???? pic.twitter.com/xcSN4ZL4up

— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) May 6, 2019

The Comeback Kim takes LPGA Tour’s Mediheal Championship in extra time

Sei Young Kim looked for all the world a champion on Saturday afternoon. After 2 holes on Sunday, her disguise came off. A double bogey-bogey start sent her toward a +4 front nine, where she fell hard from the top of the leader board. Fortunately for her, the free run was accepted by no challenger, and a birdie-par-bogey-birdie finish was enough to get the struggling Kim into a playoff with England’s Bronte Law, and Korea’s J Lee6. That’s right, Lee6. Lee6 finished 4-under over the closing 4 holes to nearly snatch a regulation-time victory. After Kim’s eagle effort from off the 18th green just missed, the trio headed back to the home hole’s tee. Kim made yet another birdie to claim victory. After playing the closing hole birdie-eagle-birdie over the first three days, Law parred it twice on Sunday. That’s lack of crunch time experience. Lee6 came closer, with birdie in regulation, but it was the many-times winner Sei Young Kim who gathered herself when the winds had changed against her, and fought back like a lion.

Sei Young Kim birdies the first playoff hole to win her eight @LPGA Tour event!

Congratulations @SY_KIM_lpga!

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— LPGA (@LPGA) May 6, 2019

Scott McCarron grabs 2nd PGA Tour Champions win of 2019 at Insperity Invitational

Over Kentucky Derby weekend, betting a guy named “Scott” on the Champions Tour was a sure thing. Figuring out which of the two hot Scotts would be the winner was the greater challenge. Scott McCarron found himself in very good form, having won his 9th career Champions tour event last month in Atlanta. Scott Parel won twice in 2018 and came close earlier this year, losing in a playoff at Rapiscan.

At this week’s Insperity Invitational in Houston’s northern suburbs, McCarron finished at -18 for a 3-shot winner over Parel. Each golfer made 3 bogeys on the week and, while Parel had the edge in eagles (1-0), McCarron had 4 birdies more for the winning margin. It was another 3 strokes back to 3rd place, where 2-time US Open champion Lee Janzen sat. McCarron moved $300K ahead of Kirk Triplett in the Schwab Cup race for 2019 and that’s where he should stay. McCarron is one of those golfers whose best days are ahead of him. He is fit, strong and long, and has a decided advantage over every other golfer on the senior circuit. All that holds him back is himself. McCarron is the guy to put an end to Bernhard Langer’s ridiculous dominance.

Stick it close @ScottMcCarron! ????

What a shot at the @InsperityInvtnl. ???? pic.twitter.com/KJj4YsVZNF

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 5, 2019