Oh Deere! DeChambeau rallies for win, Brit bid
Bryson DeChambeau overcame a 4-stroke deficit to win the John Deere Classic by a stroke yesterday in Silvis, Ill., for his first PGA Tour title — and a spot in this week’s British Open at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.
The 23-year-old DeChambeau birdied four of the final six holes at TPC Deere Run for a 6-under 65 and an 18-under 266 total. In 2015, the unconventional former Southern Methodist University star became the fifth player to win the NCAA individual title and U.S. Amateur in the same year.
“I show everybody that, ‘Look, there’s plenty of ways to do it.’ I do it my way and I feel comfortable doing it my way,” DeChambeau said.
Third-round leader Patrick Rodgers shot a 70 to finish second.
“Our tendency when you have the lead is to kind of hold on and play safe and guard against making mistakes,” said Rodgers, who remained winless on the PGA Tour. “But I had guys coming at me with some really low rounds. Obviously, Bryson shot a great one.”
DeChambeau made a 14foot birdie putt on No. 18 to pull even. Rodgers then had a par putt on No. 17 lip out, and sent his tee shot on No. 18 into the rough.
“He’s a great competitor, and I was kind of shocked he bogeyed 17,” DeChambeau said about Rodgers. “I thought I was going to be in a playoff.”
Wesley Bryan (64) and Rick Lamb (66) tied for third at 16-under, and past tournament champions Steve Stricker (64) and Zach Johnson (67) topped the group at 15-under.
The win punctuated a comeback of sorts for DeChambeau, who capped a string of eight consecutive missed cuts last month in the U.S. Open — where he was 6-over for two rounds.
“I was able to right the ship about three or four weeks ago, and it’s been steady Eddie ever since,” DeChambeau said. “It is vindication.”
Park captures Open
Sung Hyun Park won the U.S. Women’s Open in Bedminster, N.J., by 2 shots for her first LPGA Tour win.
The 23-year-old from South Korea shot her second straight 5-under 67 and won a day-long battle with front-running Shanshan Feng and teenage amateur Hye-Jin Choi. Park, who birdied the 15th to move into a tie for the lead and the 17th to open the 2-shot edge after Choi made a double bogey on the previous hole, finished at 11-under 277.
Park needed a fine chip from over the green on the par-5 18th hole to save par.
Choi finished with a 71 to finish as the low amateur for the second straight year. She was 38th in 2016.
Top-ranked So Yeon Ryu (70) and Mi Jung Hur (68) tied for third at 7-under. Feng had a 75 to drop into a tie for fifth at 6-under with Carlota Ciganda (70) and Jung Eun Lee (71).
Bello tolls in Scotland
Rafa Cabrera Bello birdied the first hole of a playoff with Callum Shinkwin to win the Scottish Open in Irvine, Scotland, securing his first European PGA title in more than five years. Both players secured berths in the British Open with their results.
Shinkwin left short a 4-foot par putt for victory on his 72nd hole to shoot a 4-under 68 in his final round and drop into a playoff with Cabrera Bello, who shot a course-record 8-under 64. Both were on 13-under par overall.
Returning to the 18th at Dundonald Links, Cabrera Bello sent his second shot from 275 yards to within 8 feet. His eagle putt came short but he tapped in for birdie, leaving Shinkwin a 7-foot birdie putt to force a second hole. Again, his putt didn’t reach the cup.
McCarron steals 1
Scott McCarron shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 in Owings Mills, Md., and took advantage of an uncharacteristic crash by threetime defending champion Bernhard Langer to win the Constellation Senior Players Championship.
McCarron finished 18-under to beat Langer and Brandt Jobe by 1 shot. The winner made up a 6-shot deficit in the final round to capture his first major on the PGA Tour Champions.
The story of the day, however, was the stunning collapse by Langer.
Seeking his third major win of the year, he had a 1-shot lead before dropping his tee shot in the water on No. 17. After taking the 1-shot penalty, he missed a 4-footer and made a double bogey. On 18, he lipped out a 6-foot birdie putt that would have forced a playoff. He finished with a 73 that included only two birdies.