Cejka wins playoff
Alex Cejka won the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday in only his third PGA Tour Champions start, beating defending champion Steve Stricker with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. The 50-year-old Cejka made a 14-foot birdie putt on No. 18 and Stricker missed a 9-footer with a chance to extend the playoff at Greystone Golf & Country Club.
Alex Cejka won the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday in only his third PGA Tour Champions start, beating defending champion Steve Stricker with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff. The 50-year-old Cejka made a 14-foot birdie putt on No. 18 and Stricker missed a 9-footer with a chance to extend the playoff at Greystone Golf & Country Club. Cejka had turned a three-stroke deficit into a two-shot lead over the final nine holes for a 5-under 67. His winning putt was from a similar spot to the one Stricker made for birdie in regulation to force the playoff. Stricker, who won the last time the event was held in 2019, closed with a 68 to match Cejka at 18-under 270. Cejka got into the field as an alternate Monday when Jay Haas withdrew and left with full exemption. He made his first two PGA Tour Champions starts as a Monday qualifier, and tied for second at the Chubb Classic. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) closed the tournament with a 2-under 70. He finished in a tie for 10th at 7-under 281. Glen Day (Little Rock) turned in a 75 on Sunday and finished at 1-over 289. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a 74 on Sunday and was 13 over.
Jutanugarn first at Honda Ariya Jutanugarn closed with a 9-under 63 to win the Honda LPGA Thailand by a stroke and become the first home winner in 14 years. Jutanugarn won her 11th LPGA Tour title and first since July 2018. She finished at 22-under 266 to edge fellow Thai Atthaya Thitikul, the 18-year-old who missed a 4-foot birdie putt to force a playoff. Patty Tavatanakit, the 54-hole leader and winner of the first LPGA Tour major of the year, closed with a 70 to tie for third. Gaby Lopez (Razorbacks) tied for ninth at 18-under 270. Lopez closed with a 70 on Sunday.
Higgo continues hot streak
Garrick Higgo of South Africa made a hole-in-one on the seventh hole and was never seriously challenged as he closed with a 7-under 64 for a six-shot victory in the Canary Islands Championship. The 21-year-old Higgo won for the second time in three weeks on the European Tour. Higgo finished at 27-under 257 for his third European Tour title. Former University of Central Arkansas golfer Pep Angles shot a 73 on Sunday and finished 4 under for the tournament. Smotherman wins by three Austin Smotherman won the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation for his first Korn Ferry Tour title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a three-stroke victory. The 26-year-old former SMU player finished at 16-under 272 at The Grove in Tennessee. Carl Yuan (71) and Paul Haley II (70) tied for second. Taylor Moore (Razorbacks) finished in a tie for ninth. Moore shot a 69 on Sunday and finished at 9-under 279. Nicolas Echavarria (Razorbacks) turned in a 74 on Sunday and finished at even-par 288.
U.S. secures Walker Cup Austin Eckroat and Pierceson Coody got the United States off to a fast start, and Cole Hammer and Stewart Hagestad finished off Great Britain & Ireland in the Walker Cup in Juno Beach, Fla. Ricky Castillo won again, too, and the Americans took five of the 10 afternoon singles matches and tied another at Seminole Golf Club for a 14-12 victory. The Americans won for the third consecutive time to take a 38-9-1 lead in the biennial event first played in 1922.