NEW YORK CITY – Two-time World Champion Jess Lockwood’s reign of dominance in New York may have ended, but he made sure to conclude his weekend on a relatively good note.
Lockwood won the championship round of the Monster Energy Buck Off at The Garden, presented by Ariat, Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden by riding Lil 2 Train for a season-best 91.75 points.
The ride propelled Lockwood (3-for-4) to a third-place finish overall and 121.5 world points.
“It wasn’t too bad of a weekend,” Lockwood said. “After bucking off that one (Apocalypse in Round 2), I came back strong and made the most of my bulls this afternoon.
I still had a pretty good pick in the championship round and took Lil 2 Train and, gosh, that bull is so strong.
“I felt like I was just flailing around on him and he was manhandling me.”
Lockwood bounced back Sunday despite sustaining a minor right knee sprain (meniscofemoral ligament) during that 2.52-second buckoff against Apocalypse in Round 2 Saturday night.
The defending champion just made sure to get a good tape job from the PBR Sports Medicine team and received some treatment before Championship Sunday.
Lockwood said the injury was minor.
“He hit me when I was coming off and he bent it how you don’t’ want to bend it,” Lockwood said pre-event. “I have been through this with both knees before. All you have to do is tape it and it is fine.”
Lockwood showed no signs of pain or rust Sunday.
Prior to riding Lil 2 Train, he converted aboard JC’s Gangster for 86.75 points in Round 3.
Lockwood will head into next weekend’s Chicago Invitational third in the world standings, 70.5 points behind world leader Joao Ricardo Vieira.
Vieira won the season-opening PBR Major with a 4-for-4 performance. Kaique Pacheco was the only other rider go 4-for-4, pushing Lockwood to a third-place finish.
Lockwood says he will be good to go for Chicago.
“My knee is good,” Lockwood said. “I will take it easy this week, use that pulse machine, ice it and stretch it.”
ADDITIONAL INJURY UPDATES
Ryan Dirteater and Dakota Buttar both missed the championship round because of concussions sustained in Round 3, according to Dr. Tandy Freeman. Dirteater and Buttar are questionable for Chicago.
Meanwhile, Cannon Cravens will need to undergo X-rays this week after having his left leg squeezed against the chutes prior to being bucked off by Betsy in 3.19 seconds Sunday. This is the same leg Cravens had surgery on last season. Freeman has listed Cravens as questionable for Chicago.
Koal Livingston said he will need to get an MRI to determine the severity of his left groin injury from Round 1. Livingston underwent season-ending surgery on his groin last season too.
Stetson Lawrence (concussion) and Jared Parsonage (possible torn right meniscus) missed Championship Sunday because of injuries in Round 2 Saturday night and are questionable for Chicago.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko