Henley wins Houston Open, earns trip to Masters

Rickie Fowler never in picture

So Yeon Ryu holds the trophy after winning the LPGA Tour’s ANA Inspiration golf tournament at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California on

April 2. (AP)

won $405,000 with the victory, and Thompson went home with just over $250,000 in second place.

“Every day is a learning process,” said Thompson, who still stopped to sign dozens of autographs after her heartbreak. “I wasn’t expecting what happened today, but ... it happens, and I’ll learn from it and hopefully do better.”

The fateful email arrived during Sunday’s final round, alerting officials to the violation committed Saturday. Thompson marked a 1-foot putt with a

HUMBLE, Texas, April 3, (AP): Russell Henley no longer gets to take a week off, and he couldn’t be happier. He’s going to the Masters. Henley overcame a four-shot deficit Sunday in the Houston by closing with a 7-under 65 for a three-shot victory, one of the most important final rounds of his career. Only later did he realize it might have his best.

He made 10 birdies. He never went more than two holes without a birdie.

“I made 10 birdies today?” he asked. “Oh, wow. Wow. Yeah, then I guess it’s definitely the best.”

Henley ran off five of them in the opening eight holes to briefly catch up to Sung Kang, only to make a double bogey from the bunker on

coin on the 17th green during her third round, but she replaced the ball perhaps 1 inch out of position.

After an extensive video review , Thompson was penalized two strokes for an incorrect ball placement and two strokes for an incorrect scorecard. Witters regretfully explained the penalty to Thompson.

“I can’t go to bed tonight knowing I let a rule slide,” Witters said. “It’s a

the par-3 ninth at the Golf Club of Houston. Only the 27-year-old from Georgia was just getting warmed up.

The decisive stretch came on the par-5 13th, where Henley and Kang were tied for the lead. Henley pitched to 3 feet for birdie, while Kang missed from 15 feet. On the par-3 14th, Henley rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt on the fast greens, cut to try to mimic what players will face at Augusta National. Kang did well to save par from 6 feet. And then Henley raced out to a three-shot advantage with another up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 15th.

He finished with a bogey for 20-under 268, three shots ahead of Kang.

Rickie Fowler was never in the picture. He made a double bogey

hard thing to do, and it made me sick, to be honest with you.”

Thompson fought back tears after getting the news, but she incredibly birdied the 13th hole. She battled back into a five-way tie for the lead, making three birdies and a bogey on the final six holes of regulation at Mission Hills Country Club.

“It’s unfortunate what happened,” Thompson said. “I did not mean that

with a wild drive on the second hole, and then got hit driver off the deck into the water on the par-5 fourth hole to drop another shot. Fowler trailed by as many as seven shots until a flurry of birdies late in the round when it was out of reach.

Fowler closed with a 70 and tied for third, along with Luke List (68).

“Just an alignment problem that just caused me to make a couple bad swings, cost me a few shots,” Fowler said. “Nice that I got it turned around and started to make some good swings and made some birdies and fought back, got a good finish out of it. Obviously, yeah, I would have like to have gotten off to a better start.”

Jon Rahm, the 22-year-old rookie from Spain, closed with a 67 and

at all. I didn’t realize I did that. I felt strong through the finish, and it was great to see the fans behind me.”

Golf fans on the course and the internet reacted with bewilderment and outrage when the LPGA’s decision became understood. Tiger Woods immediately came to Thompson’s defense on Twitter.

“Viewers at home should not be officials wearing stripes,” Woods wrote .

tied for 10th, his fourth consecutive top 10 as he heads to Augusta National for his Masters debut.

Henley won for the third time in his PGA Tour career, and his first since a playoff victory over Rory McIlroy in the 2014 Honda Classic. He was in danger of missing the Masters for the second straight year until winning the Houston Open, the only way into Augusta National at this point.

“I wasn’t expecting to go back to Augusta,” he said. “I was planning on not going, but I was going to try my best to win. So, the fact I get to go back is pretty cool and I’m excited. It hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

Henley became the third player in the last four years to win the Houston Open and earn a trip to the Masters.

“Let’s go @Lexi, win this thing anyway.”

Most golfersweighing inon Twitter didn’t disagree with the ruling, but condemned the practice of allowing TV viewers to have their say — particularly an entire day afterward.

Even Justin Timberlake saw it : “@ Lexi is SO CLASSY. Handled that with grace and fight. Career defining moment.”