Staff WriterBy any standard, Kurt Kitayama turned the 3M Open into a masterclass in momentum. What started as a routine PGA Tour stop in Blaine, Minnesota, ended with the 32-year-old Californian rewriting the TPC Twin Cities playbook, firing a record-tying 60 on Saturday before sealing the deal with a Sunday 65 to clinch his second career win.
If you’re just catching up, you missed a scorcher — literally and figuratively. The mercury hit 91 degrees, and Kitayama responded by going nuclear with the flatstick, racking up a tournament total of 23-under-par to edge out Sam Stevens by a single stroke. That’s how you turn a borderline missed cut into a FedEx Cup Playoff invitation, folks.
“Getting off to a start like that kind of helps settle you down,” Kitayama said of his six-birdies-in-eight-holes sprint to open Sunday.
Settle down? That start gave heart palpitations to anyone within three shots of the lead.
Third-Round Fireworks: A 60 That Felt Like 59
Let’s talk about that 11-under 60 on Saturday. Kitayama’s third round was a stroll through golf’s version of Candyland.
Birdies were falling faster than your uncle’s Wi-Fi signal. He very nearly broke the magical 59 barrier, tying the course record and vaulting from anonymity into prime-time contention.
And it wasn’t smoke and mirrors — this was iron play so sharp it could cut glass, and a putter that behaved like it was reading braille from the cup.
He racked up 20 birdies across the final 36 holes — a feat not seen on Tour in over two decades. That stat alone is enough to make your local club champ start rethinking life decisions.
Sunday: Nerves, Bunkers, and a Clutch Brother
Kitayama didn’t coast to the finish line. Oh no — this one had drama. After blitzing the front nine in 29 strokes, he dropped a shot at the treacherous par-3 17th (for the third consecutive round, no less), and then flirted with disaster by finding a bunker on the 18th.
But cometh the hour, cometh the brother. With his caddie and sibling Daniel by his side, Kitayama dialled in a gutsy sand shot to 18 feet and two-putted to hang onto the win at 23-under.
“To hit it like I did was unbelievable,” he said of a crucial 7-iron from the fairway bunker at 14 — a shot that reestablished his cushion and might well have won him the tournament.
Stevens had posted 22-under, and Jake Knapp made a late push, but Kitayama held firm. And when his final putt dropped, he raised his arms to the Minnesota crowd, finally allowing himself a smile.
His mother, by the way, was too nervous to watch the final stretch live.
What the 3M Open Win Means for Kitayama
This isn’t just a trophy and a paycheck story. Kitayama’s win at the 3M Open launched him from 110th to 53rd in the FedEx Cup standings and shot him up the world rankings, from No. 97 to a projected No. 39.
It also marks his first win since the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational — and silences any talk that Bay Hill was a fluke. If anything, this performance confirms that when the man gets going, he can run with the big dogs.
His journey has been anything but straightforward — a globetrotter grinding through Asia, Europe, and the Korn Ferry Tour before carving out a place on the PGA Tour.
That worldly seasoning has bred a calm competitor who now owns two Tour titles and a growing résumé.
A Ballsy Weekend — Literally
Now, you might not think much about golf balls beyond “don’t lose it.” But in this case, Kitayama’s gear deserves some credit. He played the Bridgestone TOUR B X MindSet ball all week — and it showed.
“It means so much to come away today with the win, and I couldn’t have done it without Bridgestone,” Kitayama said. “I know I can count on the golf ball. That’s the best golf I’ve ever played on the weekend and trusting my ball is a big part of that.”
That particular ball, also in the bags of Jason Day and Chris Gotterup, is no stranger to the winner’s circle. Featuring REACTIV iQ tech and a punchy mid-layer dubbed XCLRNT™, it’s built for distance and control — and Kitayama squeezed every drop of performance from it.
“We’re thrilled for Kurt and proud that he got the win using our TOUR B X MindSet golf ball,” said Dan Murphy, president of Bridgestone Golf.
“We knew he was talented when he joined our Tour staff and can’t wait to see what he does next. It’s great to see MindSet win two of the last three Tour events, further validating Bridgestone’s results-driven technology.”
What’s Next?
After this electric 3M Open showing, Kitayama’s got wind in the sails, a playoff berth in the bag, and confidence coursing through his veins. It’s proof that in this game, your luck can turn in 36 holes flat.
Whether this momentum carries into the playoffs remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure — when Kitayama finds his rhythm, he doesn’t just play well; he plays unforgettable golf.
So if you’re filling out fantasy picks or laying bets, don’t forget the name. He’s short in stature, soft-spoken off-course, and just might torch your leaderboard.
Because at the 3M Open, Kurt Kitayama reminded us all: in golf, belief is everything — and with the right mindset, anything can happen.
