‘Smiling Cinderella’ wins Women’s British Open
Hinako Shibuno of Japan won the Women’s British Open on Sunday in her major championship debut, holing an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Lizette Salas.
The 20-year-old Shibuno, a rookie on the Japan LPGA Tour who was making her LPGA Tour debut, birdied five of the final nine holes for a 4-under 68 and an 18-under 270 total at Woburn Golf Club.
Largely unknown before the championship, Shibuno – nicknamed “Smiling Cinderella” – started the round with a twostroke lead, but lost it with a double bogey on the par-4 third. She birdied Nos. 5 and 7 before a bogey on the eighth.
She birdied Nos. 10-12, all par 4s, added another on the par-5 15th and closed with the winner on the par-4 18th.
Salas finished with a 65.
Jin Young Ko, who was seeking her third major title of the year after winning the Evian Championship last week in France, was two shots back after a bogey-free 66. Morgan Pressel (67) was fourth at 15 under.
PGA TOUR
J.T. Poston won the Wyndham Championship for his first PGA Tour title, shooting an 8-under 62 for a one-stroke victory.
Poston tied Henrik Stenson’s 2year-old tournament record at 22-under 258. He became the first player since Lee Trevino in 1974 to win a 72-hole stroke-play event on tour without any bogeys or worse.
The native North Carolinian began his round three strokes back, took the lead for good with a birdie on the par-5 15th hole, then finished with three straight pars to earn $1,116,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points at the regularseason finale.
Webb Simpson was at 21 under after a 65. Byeong Hun An, who held or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds, threeputted the 18th for a bogey and a 67 to finish two shots back. Trying to force a playoff with a birdie, he nearly holed a 60footer but had it run well past.
Poston, a former Western Carolina golfer playing a 100-mile drive from his hometown of Hickory, became the third player in 11 years with strong local ties to win at Sedgefield Country Club. He joined 2008 winner Carl Petterson – a Swede who grew up in Greensboro – and 2011 champion Simpson, a Raleigh native who played college golf at Wake Forest.