Kim holds off Cantlay to win The American Express

LA QUINTA, California, Jan 25, (AP): Si Woo Kim birdied two of the final three holes to finish a rock-solid, 8-under 64, coolly rallying past latecharging Patrick Cantlay by one shot to win The American Express 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 bogeyfree round of the tournament – all on the Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course – with a two-putt 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.

Meanwhile in Florida, 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.

Jessica Korda kisses the championship trophy on the 18th green after winning in a one-hole playoff against Danielle Kang during the final round of the Tournament of Champions LPGA golf tournament, on Jan 24, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP)

Si Woo Kim holds the winner’s trophy at the end of The American Express golf tournament on the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West, on Jan 24, in La Quinta, Calif. (AP)