Kizzire outlasts Fowler in 36-hole final to win in Mexico

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO » Patton Kizzire won his first PGA Tour title Sunday by beating Rickie Fowler in a 36-hole marathon in the rain-plagued OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Kizzire closed with rounds of 66-67 for a oneshot victory over Fowler, who fell four shots behind at El Camaleon Golf Club until staging a late rally that again fell short. Fowler had rounds of 67-67 on the final day.

Kizzire won in his 62nd career start on the PGA Tour, and it required some steady nerves on the back nine when it could have gotten away from him. Leading by four shots with seven holes to play, Kizzire saved par with an 8-foot putt on No. 12, a 10-foot putt on the par-5 13th and an 8-foot putt on the 14th.

He had a three-shot lead with three holes to play when Fowler made a 15foot birdie putt on the 16th hole and rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to close within one shot. But from the 18th fairway, Fowler sent his approach some 35 feet left of the flag and left the birdie attempt short.

Kizzire had to stand close to his approach shot to keep his feet out the sand, and he hit 8-iron to 25 feet. After Fowler left his birdie attempt well short, Kizzire rapped his putt to within a few inches and tapped in for the winning par.

“I was glad to get it done,” Kizzire said. “Rickie made me work hard.”

Kizzire finished at 19-under 265 and earned his first trip to the Masters in April.

The 31-year-old Kizzire also gets a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and a spot in the field at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua to start next year, and the PGA Championship, along with other select events on tour.

Branden Grace wins Nedbank Challenge at Sun City

SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA » Branden Grace’s 30-foot putt for birdie on No. 16 set up his one-shot victory at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Sunday, giving South Africa a home winner at Sun City for the first time in a decade.

Grace, whose putting had let him down for most of the day, sent his long putt at the par 3 rolling in to edge ahead of playing partner Scott Jamieson.

After that decisive birdie, Grace made par on the final two holes for a 66 to finish 11-under par overall, one clear of Jamieson (70).

Victor Dubuisson, also part of the final group, finished another shot back in third after a bogey on No. 15 dropped him behind Grace and Jamieson. He also finished with a 70.

The three men arrived at the tee on No. 15 tied for the lead at 10 under and ready to do battle down the final stretch at Gary Player Country Club.

Grace tapped in at the last to claim his eighth European Tour title and first since January 2016. He hit all 18 greens in regulation, helping him become the first South African winner at the country’s top tournament since Trevor Immelman in 2007.

Race to Dubai winner Tommy Fleetwood carded a 1-under 71 in the final round to finish 3 under and in a tie for 10th. That meant the Race to Dubai title will be a three-player race at the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai next weekend, when Fleetwood will try to hold onto his standings lead from Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia.

Kevin Sutherland wins Champions finale, season title

PHOENIX » Kevin Sutherland finally broke through on the PGA Tour Champions, taking the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship — and the topping the yearlong competition, too.

Sutherland closed a 5-under 66 on Sunday for a onestroke victory over Vijay Singh at Phoenix Country Club, the tree-lined course hosting its first tour event since the Phoenix Open left for TPC Scottsdale in 1988.

Bernhard Langer, the winner of the first two playoff events, had a 64 to tie for 12th — five strokes back. Langer slipped to second in the season standings, missing a chance to win the title for the fourth straight year and fifth overall.

The 53-year-old Sutherland won for the first time in 78 starts on the 50-andover tour. He entered the week placed fifth in the Charles Schwab Cup season points standings, the last spot where the player had to only win the tournament to take the $1 million annuity. He earned $440,000 for the tournament victory.

The only player to shoot 59 in senior tour history, Sutherland had 15 top-10 finishes this season, finishing second three times and third twice.

His lone PGA Tour victory came in 2002 at La Costa in the Accenture Match Play Championship.