Swafford rides eagle to win in desert
Hudson Swafford won the American Express for the second time in five years Sunday, breaking a late tie with an eagle in a closinground eight-under-par 64.
Swafford beat Tom Hoge by two strokes on PGA West’s Stadium Course in La Quinta after beginning the day three strokes behind rookies Lee Hodges and Paul Barjon.
Tied for the lead with fellow former Georgia player Brian Harman and Francesco Molinari at 20 under, Swafford pulled ahead with the eagle on the par-five 16th. From 198 yards, he hit to eight feet on the iconic hole with large, deep bunkers lining the left side.
Swafford then ran in a 20foot birdie putt on 17, a parthree hole called Alcatraz with an island green ringed by jagged rocks. He saved par on the par-four 18th with an eight-footer to wrap up a spot in the Masters.
The 34-year-old finished at 23-under 265 in the threecourse event for his third PGA Tour title. He also won in the desert in 2017 and took the 2020 Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship.
Hoge shot a 68. The 32year-old from Fargo, N.D., missed a chance to win his first title in his 201st career start. Hodges, the 26-yearold from Alabama making his 14th PGA Tour start, shot a 70 to tie for third at 20 under with Harman (64) and Lanto Griffin (67).
Molinari, the Italian star who won the 2018 British Open, bogeyed the 18th for a 68. He tied for sixth with Will Zalatoris (67) and Denny McCarthy (67).
Fourth-ranked Patrick Cantlay, the second-round leader at 14 under, followed at 18 under after a 68. The FedEx Cup champion was trying to win for the third time in his last four starts.
Kang’s 68 enough for win in Orlando
Danielle Kang ran off five birdies in a seven-hole stretch in the middle of her round, posted the low score at four-under 68 and sprinted away to a threeshot victory at the seasonopening Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, Fla.
Kang finished at 16-under 272, three shots clear of Canada’s Brooke Henderson (70).
Kang was the lone player to break 70 on both weekend days (69-68), and the only player to shoot in the 60s all four rounds. The 29-year-old American now has six LPGA titles.