Birdie on 18 lifts Kang over defending champion Henderson
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.
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 straight birdies on Nos. 11-14, getting hot with her putter at the right time.
Kang also had a clutch 21foot 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.
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 tree-lined 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.
Guided by that simple strategy, Kang posted four rounds in the 60s. The two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion had just five bogeys, with each of them coming in the final two rounds.
US Senior Open
PEABODY, Mass. — Kenny Perry claimed his second U.S. Senior Open on Sunday, pulling away from Kirk Triplett at Salem Country Club to finish at 16 under and win by two strokes.
The 56-year-old Perry closed with a 2-under 68 for a record score of 264. Perry also won the event in 2013 in Omaha, Nebraska. It is his fourth major victory on the senior tour.
Perry started the day a stroke behind Triplett but five ahead of the next-closest contender, Brandt Jobe. Triplett, who tied the tournament record with a 62 in the opening round, had five bogeys Sunday and shot 71.
Perry’s 264 total was three strokes better than the U.S. Senior Open record set by Hale Irwin at Saucon Valley in 2000 and matched by Perry in 2013. Perry was the only player to shoot under par in each of the four rounds at the 6,815-yard Donald Ross-designed course, which also hosted the tournament in 2001.