Paul Claims First Professional Win On Korn Ferry Tour

            SANDALS EMERALD BAY, Bahamas — University of Colorado golf alumnus Jeremy Paul broke through here Wednesday for his first career win on the Korn Ferry Tour, winning the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic by one stroke.
 
            Paul, 29, graduated from CU in 2017 and turned professional in the spring of that year.  After an opening round 70, he carded three straight 67s on the 7,027-yard, par-72 Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club course to finish at 17-under 271.  It was the 64th event he entered, the 35th time he made the cut and his fifth top 10 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour.  His previous best finish was third in The Ascendant presented by Blue at TPC Colorado in July 2022.
 
            Paul earned $180,000 for his first professional win.  He entered the final round tied with Kevin Roy at 12-under after he caught him by shooting the only bogey-free round in the field.  Paul matched that again Wednesday and played the last 43 holes here bogey-free and with 13 birdies.  Over the 72 holes, he had 22 birdies and only five bogeys.
 
            "So happy to have gotten my first win on a tour," Paul said.  "I played some really good golf the last 36 holes, especially today down the stretch on a very difficult golf course.  And it sets me up great for the rest of the season in the hopes to get a PGA Tour card at the end of the year."
 
            "I'm super happy I was able to pull it off. It's never easy playing with a lead," he said. "Kevin (Roy) was making a lot of birdies down the stretch, so he made me work for it.  I'm just super thrilled right now with all the work I've put in for so many years, and all the people who believe in me along the way that I can give back a little bit with this win."
 
            "I didn't sleep too well, honestly," Paul said. "When you're alone in your room and with your thoughts, that's always the worst place.  Once I got on the golf course, I honestly felt pretty comfortable.  I knew I was hitting the ball really well, and it was all about not getting ahead. I think that was actually a benefit this course is very challenging (because) I was able to stay in the moment."

            That he did. He opened the final round with three straight birdies, with Roy only closing the gap with three in a row to finish his round.  Both held off Ross Steelman, who shot the day's low round, a 9-under 63, to finish two back.
 
            After this third round, he was asked about his mental approach to the game.
 
            "I started working with a mental coach about a year ago," he said.  "I feel like that's the difference-maker if you're playing on Tour because everybody out here can play. I think that's what I've been working on a lot recently in the last year, and so far, so good. It's a long progress, a long work and just trying to work on myself, and get in a good mindset. Especially in conditions like this, it helps because you're not thinking ahead, you know you have to hit good shots. It's a lot of golf still left, so I'm not really thinking about anything right now. I just want to hit good golf shots and see where it ends up at the end."
 
            Paul led the Buffaloes in scoring average all four of his college seasons (2013-14 through 2016-17), winning three tournaments and recording 21 top 10 finishes.  His twin brother Yannik has had professional success as well playing on the DP Tour.