Playoff today at Zurich Classic
AVONDALE, La. — Kevin Kisner deprived the die-hard fans around the rain-soaked 18th hole from seeing a winner in the Zurich Classic’s new team format as darkness fell Sunday night.
Not that anyone other than Jonas Blixt and Cameron Smith seemed to mind.
Kisner chipped in for eagle from nearly 95 feet, lifting himself and teammate Scott Brown into a playoff today against Blixt and Smith.
“We knew we had to have it,” Kisner said. “I knew (Blixt and Smith) were going to make birdie. All I was trying to do was make sure I didn’t leave it short.”
Kisner’s clutch chip skipped on the green and hit the pin before dropping in, whipping the crowd around the final green into a frenzy while Kisner waved both arms in celebration.
“I knew I hit it a little too hard when I touched it, but I loved the line, and when it hit the flag, I said, ‘Just please don’t come out of there,’” Kisner recalled. “It’s just one of those shots that you dream about.”
It also forced the 23-yearold Smith to make a 1 1/2foot birdie putt to remain in contention for his maiden PGA Tour victory.
“It was tough, but we fought well on the back nine,” Smith said.
Kisner and Brown shot a 12-under 60 in best-ball play, and Blixt and Smith had a 64 to finish at 27 under at TPC Louisiana in the PGA Tour’s first team event in 36 years. The score of 60 didn’t count as a course record, but it was two strokes better than any score posted when the Zurich was a traditional stroke-play event.
The round finished in barely playable darkness because of a more than six-hour delay caused by thunderstorms.
Blixt and Smith haven’t bogeyed a hole yet. They led after the second and third rounds, but they had to overcome a remarkable surge by Brown and Kisner, who stormed into the lead with birdies on the first eight holes Sunday and 10 of their first 11.
Players on each team alternated shots in the first and third rounds. In the second and fourth rounds, each player played their own balls and each team took the best score per hole. The playoff will be in that format.
Nomura wins playoff
IRVING, Texas — Hara Nomura outlasted Cristie Kerr with a two-putt birdie on the sixth playoff hole to win the windy Volunteers of America Texas Shootout for her third LPGA Tour victory.
Nomura, a 24-year-old from Japan who lives in Hawaii, also birdied the par-5 18th hole at the end of regulation to force the playoff after giving up the lead for the first time with a double bogey at No. 17.
Kerr and Nomura finished regulation at 3-under 281 at Las Colinas Country Club, then played the 518yard 18th six more times.
Kerr was trying to win consecutive tournaments. The 39-year-old American won in Hawaii two weeks ago, her 19th career victory coming nearly five months after knee surgery.
Nomura shot a 5-over
76. Kerr made the only birdie all day at the par-3 17th and was leading by a stroke when she tapped in a par putt on 18 for a
74. Jessica Korda (73) was third at 1 under.
Levy victorious in second China Open
BEIJING — Alexander Levy beat Dylan Frittelli in a playoff to win the China Open.
Levy — who also won this event in 2014 for his first European Tour victory — began Sunday’s final round seven shots behind overnight leader Frittelli. Levy birdied the par-5 18th for a 5-under 67 to finish at 17-under 271 after 72 holes. Frittelli closed with a 74.
On the first playoff hole, No. 18, Levy found the fairway off the tee and Frittelli sent his drive into a bunker. But after Levy’s second shot found sand, both golfers were left to attempt birdie putts.
Frittelli missed his, while Levy rolled home from 15 feet to claim victory.
Pablo Larrazabal (72) was third at 16 under, and Bernd Wiesberger (67) and Chris Wood (68) shared fourth at 15 under.