The PGA Tour Americas final had all the ingredients of a big event: 59 players, a whole season at stake and ten Korn Ferry Tour cards for 2027 as the prize. And when it mattered, the finish lived up to it. Canadian Joey Savoie won the Dominican Republic Tour Championship presented by Scotiabank at PGA Ocean’s 4 (Playa Nueva Romana, Dominican Republic) on 274 strokes (-14), after a final-round comeback that gave him his second title of the year and, along the way, his ticket to the last step before the PGA Tour.
A final day to remember
After 54 holes, the fight was wide open. Omar Morales, Charlie Crockett and Mesa Falleur shared the lead at 11 under par, while Joey Savoie lay in wait, two shots off the pace. In the final round he signed for a 67 and, with five birdies down the stretch, turned the leaderboard around to win by a single stroke. The tension lasted until the very end, in a week of very good golf.
In that comeback, Savoie also had a home-grown ally: local caddie Bryan Blake, who works at PGA Ocean’s 4 itself, played his part in the win.
It all started when Savoie contacted Diego Gudiño, the club professional, to ask him to recommend a caddie. Gudiño put him in touch with Bryan and, after asking about his experience on the course and his level of play, the Canadian offered him the bag for the week. Bryan gladly accepted.
Blake remembers a very enjoyable week. He highlights Savoie’s excellent attitude on the course: he relied on his caddie’s local knowledge, accepted his mistakes and fought for the win after a not-so-good start. He also stresses that the Canadian’s team, with his coach and his parents, made him feel part of the group and helped them find the rapport that led them to victory.
The story recalls Matt Kuchar’s win at the 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico. The American entered at the last minute, his regular caddie, John Wood, could not join him, and the tournament assigned him a local caddie from El Camaleón, David Giral Ortiz, “El Tucán”. Together they won by a single stroke.
Joey Savoie and the Korn Ferry Tour ten
The final also handed out the last points of the season and settled The 10 who will play the Korn Ferry Tour in 2027: Thomas Ponder (who closed the year as the season’s best player), Corey Pereira, Étienne Papineau, Joey Savoie himself, Patrick Flavin, Charlie Crockett, Justin Biwer, Jack Lundin, Charlie Nikitas and Patrick Sheehan.
A course with the Caribbean as a backdrop
For the first time, the Dominican Republic hosted the circuit’s grand final, and PGA Ocean’s 4 proved it was up to the task. With four holes facing the Caribbean Sea and the first phase of a renovation designed by Robert Trent Jones II, the course demanded maximum precision over the four days.
The players were full of praise. Savoie highlighted the hospitality he received, the work of the organisers and the excellent condition of the course, cared for down to the last detail, and called its oceanside holes incredible. He thanked Piñero, the Ministry of Tourism and Scotiabank, and described the Dominican Republic as an island that may be small but has a big heart; he has already said he wants to come back soon.
On behalf of the PGA Tour, Jon Krakower, vice president of PGA TOUR Pathways, thanked Encarna Piñero, Jaime Sitjar and the whole Playa Nueva Romana and PGA Ocean’s 4 team for their work, and stressed that both the competition and the course exceeded expectations for a top-level season finale.
Jaime Sitjar, CEO of Piñero’s Real Estate & Golf division, described the week as “historic” and congratulated Savoie on his comeback and the ten players stepping up to the Korn Ferry Tour. “It is a source of pride that our course is part of this moment in their careers,” he said, before inviting everyone to next year’s event at PGA Riviera Maya.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Tammy Reynoso also put the tournament in context: golf is one of the pillars of the country’s sports tourism strategy, and the aim is for visitors not only to play but also to discover the culture, food and diversity of Dominican destinations.
The prize-giving was presided over by the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Tourism, David Collado, who thanked the Piñero family for their unconditional partnership with the destination and pointed out that they are the largest hotel operators in the country, with more than 7,000 rooms.
More than a golf course
PGA Ocean’s 4 is the heart of the Playa Nueva Romana residential community, located halfway between the capital, Santo Domingo, and the country’s main tourist area, Punta Cana. It is a gated community with a private beach that is also a very attractive investment option. More than 600 hectares, a beach over 2.5 kilometres long and a leisure and business centre, AIRE, round out an offer that has made it the fastest-growing residential community in the country.
The course, for its part, arrived at the final with an impressive track record: best course in the Dominican Republic at the World Golf Awards and IAGTO’s Best Course in the Americas 2025. It has 27 holes: an 18-hole par-72 Championship course of 7,334 yards and a 9-hole par-27 executive course, the only one in the country floodlit for night play. It is also the first Dominican course certified by the PGA of America and the third outside the United States, and it is home to the PGA Academy, with video analysis and TrackMan technology.
With the curtain down on the 2026 season, Playa Nueva Romana closes a standout event for the country’s sport and strengthens its place on the international golf calendar.
More information at playanuevaromana.com. For more industry news, visit the Andalucía Golf news section.
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