Kang wins Women’s PGA Championship
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — Danielle Kang birdied the final hole to win the KPMG Women's PGA Championship on Sunday for her first LPGA Tour title, edging defending champion Brooke Henderson.
Kang bogeyed the tricky par-3 17th, and Henderson closed with two birdies to move into a tie for the lead, coming up just short on a 30-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th. But Kang responded with two solid shots to get to the green in two and then two-putted for the victory.
“I just told myself it was my week. It was my day,” Kang said.
It was another great finish for the LPGA Tour's second major of the season. The 19-year-old Henderson beat Lydia Ko in a playoff last year at Sahalee in Washington.
The 24-year-old Kang trailed Henderson and Chella Choi by one after she bogeyed the par-4 10th at Olympia Fields. But Kang moved in front with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 11-14, getting hot with her putter at the right time.
Kang also had a clutch 21-foot par putt at 16 on her way to a 4-under 68 and the winner's check of $525,000. Henderson closed with a 66 to finish a stroke back, and Chella Choi, who was tied with Kang for the lead coming into the day, was third at 10-under after a 71.
Kang's previous best finish in a major was a tie for 14th in the 2012 U.S. Women's Open.
Henderson made a strong bid for a second straight title in the event, jumping up the leaderboard three birdies in her first seven holes.
But the Canadian had nine straight pars in the middle of the round.
“I kind of had a mix of really good putts that had a chance to go in, and some that maybe I would have liked to give a better opportunity for,” Henderson said.
Mi Hyang Lee (67), Amy Yang (68) and Sei Young Kim (68) tied for third at 9-under, and Lexi Thompson (69) and Inbee Park (68) were another two strokes back.
Kang received some high-profile support as she tried for her first title since turning pro, hearing from Wayne Gretzky and Caitlyn Jenner — friends from her days at Sherwood Country Club in California — over the weekend. Four-time major winner Hollis Stacy also reached out, but it was some sage advice from brother Alex that set the tone for her breakout performance. Feeling overwhelmed after her last practice round on the treelined course near Chicago, Kang called her brother to help formulate a game plan. Alex Kang, who plays on the Web.com Tour, told her to “just blast it down.”
“Alex is the one that I called to map out the golf course. He's one of the people that I lean on for everything,” Kang said.
POTOMAC, Md. — Kyle Stanley got up-and-down for par from just over the 18th green to win the Quicken Loans National on the first hole of a playoff with Charles Howell III on Sunday.
On a chaotic final day at TPC Potomac that included a 5-minute delay for a pop-up storm, Stanley and Howell finished at 7-under 273 after matching final-round 4-under 66s. Howell had a 21-foot putt to win on the final hole of regulation that rolled over the left edge of the cup.
In the playoff, both missed the fairway and the green. Howell’s chip came up short and he missed the 11-foot par putt. Stanley chipped to 5 feet and pumped his fist as the putt dropped.
GUYANCOURT, France — Tommy Fleetwood fired a faultless 5-under 66 to win the French Open on Sunday by one shot ahead of Peter Uihlein of the U.S.