Kim wins tourney, has 64 at PGA West
Chico’s Kitayama ties for 35th in Abu Dhabi
LA QUINTA » Si Woo Kim birdied two of the final three holes to finish a rock-solid, 8-under 64, coolly rallying past late-charging Patrick Cantlay by one shot to win The American Express on Sunday for his third PGA Tour victory.
A year after Kim withdrew from the desert tournament because of a back injury following an awful first round, he began the final round with a share of the lead as he attempted to win for the first time since the 2017 Players Championship.
The 25-year-old South Korean didn’t flinch when Cantlay shot a 61 and surged out of 13th place to the front while breaking the Stadium Course record by two strokes.
Playing six groups behind Cantlay, Kim comfortably birdied the par-5 16th to pull even. Kim then buried a 19-foot birdie putt on the island green on the 17th to take the lead, joyously pumping his fist when his perfectly paced putt dropped.
Kim wrapped up his third bogey-free round of the tournament — all on the Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course — with a twoputt par on the 18th to finish at 23-under 265.
Kim had a much better time than he did last year in his return to the Palm Springs-area tournament long hosted by Bob Hope. A year ago, Kim shot a 15-over 87 in the opening round on the easier neighboring Nicklaus Course before withdrawing.
Australia’s Cameron Davis shot a 64 to finish in a career-best third at 20 under. Tony Finau had a 68 and finished fourth after starting the final round with a share of the lead in his quest to land his long-awaited second PGA Tour win.
LPGA TOUR » Jessica Korda closed with a 5-under 66 and holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Danielle Kang in the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and start the LPGA Tour season on a good note.
Korda won for the sixth time on the LPGA Tour, and it was her first victory in nearly three years. She shot a career-best 60 on Saturday.
Kang started the final round at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando with a two-shot lead, which she quickly stretched to four shots with an opening birdie and Korda dropping a shot on the third hole. That was Korda’s last mistake.
Kang had a two-shot lead with four holes to play when she made her first bogey of the tournament — and her first bogey in 65 holes dating to last season — on the 15th. Korda caught her with a birdie on the 16th. EUROPEAN TOUR » Tyrrell Hatton won the European Tour’s season-opening Abu Dhabi Championship by four strokes after overnight leader Rory McIlroy faded.
Hatton shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 18-under 270 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club. The Englishman won his sixth tour title.
Australia’s Jason Scrivener closed with a 66 to finish second. He had an eagle and five birdies in a back-nine 29.
McIlroy was third at 13 under after a 72.
Former Chico High standout Kurt Kitayama shot a second straight 71 to tie for 35th at 4 under.