Jutanugarn rallies to win after Thompson misses 2-foot putt

NAPLES, FLA. » Lexi Thompson never had a putt so short that was potentially worth so much.

She had a one-shot lead when she settled over a 2-foot par putt on the final hole Sunday at the CME Group Tour Championship. A victory would be worth $500,000 in prize money and $1 million in a bonus. She would win LPGA player of the year and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.

She would rise to No. 1 in the world. She missed.

Moments later, Ariya Jutanugarn capped off her birdie-birdie finish with an 18-foot putt to win the tournament and deny Thompson three of those perks.

“I don’t really know what happened there,” Thompson said. “It just happens. I guess it’s golf. I guess we all go through situations we don’t like sometimes.”

Thompson has gone through her share of them this year. Unlike the others, this one came with a $1 million consolation.

Jutanugarn birdied four of his last six holes for a 5-under 67 and seized on her good fortune when Thompson missed the short putt to win the CME Group Tour Championship and the $500,000 first prize.

A wild end to the LPGA season sent four players home with a trophy of some variety.

Although she lost the tournament, Thompson still won the CME Race to the Globe and the $1 million bonus, along with the Vare Trophy.

Thompson had to win the tournament to be player of the year. Instead, the pointsbased LPGA player of the year was a tie between a pair of major champions from South Korea, So Yeon

Ryu and LPGA rookie Sung Hyun Park. It was the first time the award was shared since it began in 1966. ST. SIMONS ISLAND, GA. » PGA Tour rookie Austin Cook won the RSM Classic without being seriously challenged, closing with two birdies for a 3-under 67 and a four-shot victory.

The victory in the final PGA Tour event of the calendar year gives Cook a spot in the Masters next year. DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES » Tommy Fleetwood won the Race to Dubai and the right to be called the top golfer in Europe after a tense battle with Justin Rose that was ultimately decided on the final green of the season on Sunday.

Rose, seemingly in cruise control after 11 holes as he

opened up a one-shot lead atop of the leaderboard on 19-under par, then wobbled and made bogeys on the 12th, 14th and 16th holes.

Tennis: Dimitrov wins ATP Finals

LONDON » Grigor Dimitrov claimed the biggest title of his career at the season-ending ATP Finals on Sunday, prevailing on his fifth match point to beat David Goffin of Belgium 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

“It’s such an honor to play here,” Dimitrov said. “This week has been one of the best I’ve ever had.”

The sixth-seeded Bulgarian won in 2 hours, 30 minutes, 15 seconds for the longest final since the tournament returned to a three-set format in 2008.