Kang birdies 18 to capture Women’s PGA title
Danielle Kang birdied the final hole to win the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship yesterday in Olympia Fields, Ill., for her first LPGA Tour title, edging defending champion Brooke Henderson.
Kang bogeyed the tricky par-3 17th, and Henderson closed with two birdies to move into a tie for the lead, coming up just short on a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th. But Kang responded with two solid shots to get to the green in two, and then 2-putted for the victory.
It was another great finish for the LPGA Tour’s second major of the season. The 19-year-old Henderson beat Lydia Ko in a playoff last year at Sahalee in Washington.
Kang trailed Henderson and Chella Choi by 1 after she bogeyed the par-4 10th. But Kang moved in front with four straight birdies on Nos. 11-14, getting hot with her putter at the right time. She also had a clutch 21-foot par putt at 16 on her way to a 4-under 68 and the winner’s check of $525,000. Henderson closed with a 66 to finish a stroke back, and Choi, who was tied with Kang for the lead coming into the day, was third at 10-under after a 71.
Kang’s previous best finish in a major was a tie for 14th in the 2012 U.S. Women’s Open.
Mi Hyang Lee (67), Amy Yang (68) and Sei Young Kim (68) tied for third at 9-under, and Lexi Thompson (69) and Inbee Park (68) were another 2 strokes back.
Stanley survives playoff
Kyle Stanley got up-and-down for par from just over the 18th green to pick up the victory at the PGA Quicken Loans National on the first hole of a playoff matchup with Charles Howell III in Potomac, Md.
On a chaotic final day that included a 5-minute delay for a popup storm, Stanley and Howell finished at 7-under 273 after matching final-round 4-under 66s. Howell had a 21-foot putt to win on the final hole of regulation that rolled over the left edge of the cup.
In the playoff, both missed the fairway and the green. Howell’s chip came up short and he missed the 11-foot par putt. Stanley chipped to 5 feet and pumped his fist as the putt dropped.
It was the second career victory for Stanley, who had struggled following his 2012 win at the Phoenix Open.
Rickie Fowler (65) and Martin Laird finished in a tie for third at 5-under. New England’s own Keegan Bradley was in a pack of eight at 4-under.
Fleetwood edges Uihlein
Tommy Fleetwood hit a faultless 5-under 66 to win the European PGA’s French Open by 1 shot ahead of American Peter Uihlein in Guyancourt, France.
Fleetwood had five birdies and no bogeys to finish at 12-under while New Bedford native Uihlein just failed to force a playoff after making a late charge on his way to a 68. This was the third European Tour win and second of the year for Fleetwood, who finished fourth at the U.S. Open last month.
Uihlein, the overnight co-leader, was seeking his second career win.
Thorbjorn Olesen had eight birdies in a 6-under 65, while Mike Lorenzo-Vera shot 66 as both charged up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for third with Alexander Bjork (71) at 8-under.