Jhonattan Vegas successfully defends Canadian Open title

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO » Jhonattan Vegas successfully defended his RBC Canadian Open title Sunday at Glen Abbey, beating Charley Hoffman with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

Vegas’ approach from the left bunker on the par-5 18th hit the grass just above the sand lip and still had enough power to clear the water and go through the green.

“When I heard the clip, because obviously I didn’t see it, I knew that it was probably going to go in the water, because I didn’t know exactly how hard it hit it,” Vegas said. “But then when I saw the ball in the air, it was still going really hard and forward.”

The 32-year-old Venezuelan chipped to a foot — after racing a chip past the hole in regulation from the same area en route to a par — and won when Hoffman’s birdie try from the back bunker slid past the hole.

“It’s been a special day,” Vegas said. “I knew that I had to shoot a good round today to have a chance to win again. I just came out with an aggressive mentality, just feeling really good about my game. When I started making a few birdies, especially the putt for birdie on 7, I started feeling the same chills that I felt last year when I won, and I just knew that something good could happen if I kept that going.”

Vegas closed with a 7-under 65 to match Hoffman at 21-under 267.

Bernhard Langer wins 3rd Senior British Open title

BRIDGEND, WALES » Bernhard Langer won the Senior British Open on Sunday in rain and wind at Royal Porthcawl for his record-extending 10th senior major title and fifth in the last 10.

Fighting a sore throat all week in the difficult weather conditions, the 59-year-old German star closed with an even-par 72 to finish at 4-under 280 and beat American Corey Pavin by three strokes.

“Wasn’t 100 percent,” Langer said. “Makes it even more meaningful.”

Langer joined Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win three senior majors in a season, and won the event for the third time to match the tournament record.

Langer won the Regions Tradition and Senior PGA Championship — the first two of the PGA Champions Tour’s five majors — in consecutive weeks in May. He finished second behind Scott McCarron in the Senior Players Championship, losing the lead with a double bogey on the 71st hole. Nicklaus won three of the then-four majors in 1991.

Lee takes advantage of Webb’s late struggles to win Ladies Scottish Open

IRVINE, SCOTLAND » Mi Hyang Lee took advantage of Hall of Famer Karrie Webb’s late double bogey to win the Ladies Scottish Open on Sunday for her second LPGA Tour title.

“I didn’t believe I got a win today,” said Lee, six shots back entering the round. “It was a really surprise for me.”

A stroke ahead of Lee with two holes left at chilly Dundonald Links, Webb dropped a shot back with the double bogey on the par-5 17th after driving into a bunker and having to play out backward.

Lee, playing in the group ahead of Webb, increased the margin to two with a birdie on the par-5 18th. Needing an eagle to force a playoff, Webb closed with a birdie to tie for second with Mi Jung Hur. Webb didn’t know she was two strokes behind because of the lack of a leaderboard on the final hole in the tuneup event for the Ricoh Women’s British Open next week at Kingsbarns.

“It’s pretty bad to not have a leaderboard on the last,” Webb said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever been (at a tour event) that hasn’t had a leaderboard on 18 . ... We didn’t know if Mi Hyang had birdied or not, because there wasn’t like a loud cheer like she had.”

Erynne Lee wins FireKeepers for 2nd Symetra title of year

BATTLE CREEK, MICH. » Erynne Lee won the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship on Sunday at Battle Creek Country Club for her second Symetra Tour title of the year.

Lee all but wrapped up an LPGA Tour card through the money list, closing with a 5-under 67 for a twostroke victory over Thailand’s Benyapa Niphatsophon.

Lee, the 24-year-old former UCLA player from Silverdale, Washington, finished at 12-under 204. She earned $15,000 to jump from fourth to third on the money list with $70,998. The top 10 after the final seven events will earn LPGA Tour cards.