Garcia seals 1-shot victory at KLM Open for 16th European Tour win
Kelly earns 2nd PGA Tour Champions win of the year
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va, Sept 16, (Agencies): Joaquin Niemann got stronger as the day progressed to become the first Chilean to win on the PGA Tour, claiming a six-shot victory at the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.
Tied at the ninth hole following a bogey, the 20-year-old, who had led most of the day, racked up six birdies on the back nine, including three in succession to close a sixunder 64 round at White Sulphur Springs.
Not even a bogey at the 15th could halt his march as he won the opening tournament of the new PGA season at 21-under 259.
Tom Hoge, who along with Richy Werenski had chased Niemann all afternoon, wound up second at 15-under after a closing 65.
Werenski (69), Brian Harman (65), Harris English (67) and Nate Lashley (69) were another shot back.
Playing for the third time in his career at Old White TPC, Niemann had begun the day with a two-stroke lead over Werenski, Lashley and Robby Shelton.
Hoge fired up with birdies on five of his first eight holes but three bogeys in his next seven holes ended his threat.
The win, complete with fist pumps, brought out a new side to Niemann.
Meanwhile, in Grand Blanc, Michigan, Jerry Kelly played bogeyfree Sunday at Warwick Hills and closed with a 4-under 68 for a twoshot victory in the Ally Challenge, his second victory this year on the PGA Tour Champions and moving him a little closer to the top of the Charles Schwab Cup standings.
Kelly started the final round with a one-shot lead over Schwab Cup leader Scott McCarron and Woody Austin. Only one of them challenged Kelly.
McCarron fell apart with four bogeys in a five-hole stretch around the turn and shot 75 to tie for 15th. Austin
Jerry Kelly receives his trophy in the winner’s circle after winning in the final round of the Ally Challenge, a stop on the PGA Tour Champions, on Sept 15 at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc
Township, Michigan. (AP) AMSTERDAM, Sept 16, (RTRS): Spain’s Sergio Garcia shot a finalround three-under par 69 and finished at 18-under overall to win the 100th edition of the KLM Open in Amsterdam by a single stroke.
The win was Garcia’s 16th on the European Tour and the 2017 Masters champion’s first title in The Netherlands, which he happily celebrated with his one-year-old daughter Azalea on the green at the 18th hole.
Danish 18-year-old Nicolai Hojgaard, who was two strokes behind the Spaniard after the third round, nearly tied for the lead but missed an eagle putt on the 18th and finished with a birdie to sign for a four-under 68 and second place.
A cautious Garcia, who bogeyed the 17th, played it safe on the parfive 18th, sinking a one-foot putt to clinch the title.
“Great week, amazing,” Garcia said. “We had a great week and it’s great to win again. It was nice I only needed a five on the last.”
Garcia’s final round was far from ideal. He sank seven birdies – including four on the front nine – but they were offset by four bogeys.
However, he successfully held a 54-hole lead for the ninth time in his European Tour career as others struggled.
Fellow overnight leader Callum Shinkwin of England carded a poor round of 74 to drop down the leader-board to fifth.
Englishman Matt Wallace finished third, three shots behind, while his compatriot James Morrison finished one shot further back in fourth.
Garcia