Birdie on final hole lifts Kirk in LPGA
ONEIDA, Wis. — Katherine Kirk won the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic on Sunday, matching Ashleigh Buhai with a birdie on the final hole for a one-stroke victory.
Four strokes ahead of Buhai entering the round, Kirk made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th for a 2-under 70. She finished at 22-under 266 in the first year event at Thornberry Creek — the Oneida Nationowned resort near Green Bay.
Former Baylor School standout Brooke Pancake finished tied for 63rd at minus-6.
“I’m glad I didn’t have to play extra holes, I’ll tell you that, because I don’t know how it would have turned out,” Kirk said. “To make that putt was huge. I had a good line on it, obviously, and I’m just so happy. … Ashleigh played great all day. I put the pressure on her. Pretty fun finish there. I knew I had to make it.”
The 35-year-old Australian won her third LPGA Tour title and first in 152 starts since the 2010 Navistar LPGA Classic. She also won the 2008 Canadian Women’s Open.
“Winning out here is hard, and it’s a lot harder than when I first did it, that’s for sure,” Kirk said. “We’ve got so much talent out here now, it’s definitely hard to win. I think, too, I’m like the 15th-oldest player on tour, so certainly if you’re looking at age, it’s more in favor of the younger generation these days. Hard work pays off. That’s all I can say. I’m grateful for the opportunity to still be playing, and I still love it, and I’ve got a great team of people behind me, and I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them.”
Kirk earned $300,000 and secured a spot next week in the U.S. Women’s Open.
“Just winning is totally unexpected, and obviously getting in the Open is unexpected,” Kirk said. “I’ve got to scramble and get a flight out there now and get my caddie out there and get accommodation. … It’s always fun to play in majors, and I’m carrying probably the best form into a major than I ever have before for me. That’s going to be exciting. I just hope I can have enough energy to get me through the week.”
She had six birdies and four bogeys Sunday after opening with rounds of 68, 63 and 65.
Buhai, from South Africa, shot a 67.
“We both played great this week,” Buhai said about Kirk. “Today, 5 under, no bogeys. I had three lip-outs on the back nine, but I hit the putts and the shots that I had to just keep hitting. Finally on 18, it was just a little close, and enough to think maybe I could hole the putt, but the two shots Katherine hit on 16 and 18 to work it around trees were fantastic, so all good to her.”
South Korea’s Sei Young Kim was third at 20 under after a 63.
“I have good momentum,” Kim said. “I’m very looking forward to next week, so exciting. I can’t wait for next week.”
Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum shot a career-best 62 — also the best round of the week — to finish fourth at 19 under.
“Tee shot pretty good and also putting very good,” Phatlum said. “Like no three-putt, and then can make eight birdies and one eagle. Really fantastic.”
Two eagles help Rahm capture Irish Open
PORTSTEWART, Northern Ireland — Jon Rahm enhanced his burgeoning reputation by winning the Irish Open by six strokes and a record tournament score on Sunday, shooting a 7-under 65 in a final round marked by two eagles and rules controversy.
The 22-year-old Rahm, one of the hottest young players in world golf, holed out from 150 yards for eagle on No. 4 and strung together four straight birdies from No. 7 to turn what promised to be a tight final day into a procession at Portstewart Golf Club.
The 11th-ranked Spaniard added a second eagle with a long putt on the par-5 14th to put more distance to his chasers, led by David Drysdale following his course-record 63 early Sunday.
Rahm finished on 24-under 264 overall — breaking the record to par by three shots — for a second victory of 2017, and in little more than a year as a professional.
“To actually play my best golf that I can remember and shoot 24 under on this golf course and win it by six, that is not something I would have believed I was capable of,” Rahm said. “I learned a lot about myself and it’s a really, really special day.”
His resounding victory on the links made him believe his first major title could come in two weeks’ time at the British Open at Royal Birkdale.
“It proves to me I can perform properly on a links golf course and that’s what I’ve got to take to The Open,” Rahm said. “I know now that I have what it takes.
“I know I can read the putts right, I know I can interpret the wind and I can hit the shots and I can manage myself around the golf course properly enough to have a chance to win The Open.”
Rahm avoided being handed a two-shot penalty for replacing his ball incorrectly on the 6th green, following emails and calls from TV viewers. Andy McFee, chief referee of the European Tour, said Rahm made a “reasonable judgment” after having moved his marker one putter length to the side to get it off the line of playing partner Daniel Im.
“I know it’s a little suspicious sometimes but I knowingly did it,” Rahm said. “I moved my marker so it was not in the way of Daniel’s and put it back, and when I replaced my ball I thought it was in the same exact spot.”
When told by McFee on the 13th hole that there had been complaints, Rahm said: “I told him, ‘Listen, if it’s a penalty stroke, let me know now, I’ll accept it.’”
Richie Ramsay (65) and Matthew Southgate (66) were tied for second on 18 under, with Drysdale tied for fourth alongside Justin Rose, Ryan Fox and overnight joint-leader Im.
Chesson Hadley wins LECOM Health Challenge
CLYMER, N.Y. — Chesson Hadley shot a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Beau Hossler in the Web. com Tour’s LECOM Health Challenge.
The winner of the PGA Tour’s 2014 Puerto Rico Open, the 30-year-old Hadley finished with a tournament-record 23-under 265 total on Peek’n Peak’s Upper Course. He earned $108,000 to jump from 22nd to fourth on the money list with $218,450, more than enough to wrap a return to the PGA Tour as a top-25 finisher.
Former UTC star Jonathan Hodge finished tied for 29th at minus-9 and Eric Axley of Athens, Tenn. was tied for 53rd at minus-6.
“That was the goal this year,” said Hadley, who finished 159th last season in the PGA Tour’s FedExCup standings. “I know I had tour status, it’s not great tour status, but it’s still tour status, which is always a positive. I wanted to lock my card up and once I did that I was going to go chase some tour starts.”