DeChambeau sails to victory in Fedex Cup playoff opener

PARAMUS: To his right was the silver trophy Bryson DeChambeau won at the Northern Trust, a victory that felt comfortable to everyone but him.

To his left was the silver fedex Cup trophy, a reminder of the ultimate prize in the US PGA Tour season.

Missing was the gold Ryder Cup trophy.

DeChambeau took a giant step towards playing for that, too.

“Like I said yesterday, I’m a man on a mission right now – two missions, actually,” DeChambeau said after a four-shot victory in the opening Fedex Cup playoff event.

“One being the Ryder Cup and one being the Fedex Cup.

“I’m doing pretty well right now and just got to keep moving forward in the right direction.”

That was the only direction his game went in a final round devoid of much drama.

Staked to a four-shot lead, DeChambeau never let anyone closer than two shots, ended the threat with consecutive birdies and closed with a two-under 69 to win by four shots over Tony Finau, who also had the Ryder Cup on his mind.

■ REGINA: Brooke Henderson’s adoring home fans chanted her name and sang “O Canada”.

Her father raced onto the 18th green to shower her and sister/caddie Brittany with champagne.

Delivering in front of a huge gallery at chilly and rainy Wascana Country Club, Henderson had a lot to celebrate after becoming the first Canadian to win the country’s national championship in 45 years.

She closed with a seven-under 65 for a four-stroke victory on Sunday in the Canadian Open.

“This was like the first time ever that I’ve played my absolute best in front of the hometown crowd and on home soil,” Henderson said.

“It’s just a great learning experience and it has a really happy ending.”

The 20-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ontario, finished in style on the par-four 18th, crushing a drive and hitting a 69-yard approach to three feet to set up a birdie.

When the putt fell, Henderson raised her arms and hugged Brittany as father Dave ran onto the green and doused them with bubbly.

“Ten minutes from when I hit my second shot in on 18 to when I made that putt and when the celebrations all happened, those are the things that I’ll remember forever,” Henderson said.

“To hit it to three feet like that and to know that I finally did it, to hear the crowd chant my name, sing ‘ O Canada’, to make that putt was awesome.”—