Honda Classic win ends Fowler’s drought
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Rickie Fowler made it interesting Sunday for as long as it took him to make two big putts to pull away in the Honda Classic.
Staked to a four-shot lead, Fowler hit one putt into a sprinkler hole, hit a tee shot into the water and watched a big lead shrink to one over Gary Woodland early on the back nine. Fowler answered with consecutive birdie putts of 40 and 25 feet and closed with a 1-over-par 71 for a four-shot victory.
“If I don’t make those putts, I’ve got a pretty tight race,” Fowler said.
Instead, those chasing him had the biggest problems with the closing stretch at PGA National.
Fowler effectively ended it with a shot over the water to three feet that stretched his lead to five shots with two holes to play. Woodland appeared to have second place wrapped up until he three-putted the 17th, then tried to lay up on the par-5 18th and came up short into the water. He closed with another bogey for a 69 and had to share second place — a difference of $128,000 — with Morgan Hoffmann, who missed a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
Jimmy Walker, last year’s PGA Championship winner, was lurking on the fringe of contention until he sent tee shots into the water on the 15th and 17th holes, which cost him five shots. Tyrrell Hatton played in the final group and had a chance to finish alone in second — which would have gone a long way toward securing a PGA Tour card — until missing a three-foot birdie putt on the 17th.
Fowler even got into the PGA National disaster act when it no longer mattered. He hit his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole and made bogey, then hit a wedge into the bunker on the 18th and closed with another bogey to finish at 12-under 268.
All that mattered was the trophy, the fourth of his PGA Tour career and an important one because it was his first since the Deutsche Bank Championship in September 2015. He had gone 13 months and 25 starts worldwide without a victory as it seemed everyone around him was winning multiple times.
“I guess I can already plan on Hawaii for next year,” Fowler said, referring to the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua. “I can relax a little bit. This just lets us chill out in a way. There’s less pressure, less stress. I think this is something we needed going into Augusta. I like this spot we’re in right now.”
Day too sick for World Golf Championship in Mexico City
Jason Day has withdrawn from the Mexico Championship because of an infection in both ears and the flu.
The World Golf Championship, to be held in Mexico City this week for the first time and featuring the highest altitude for a PGA Tour event, was poised to have all top 50 golfers in the world. Day, who is ranked No. 2 after losing his top spot last week to Dustin Johnson, said the ear infections and flu have kept him from preparing properly.
This will be the first World Golf Championships event that the 29-year-old Australian has missed since the Cadillac Championship at Doral three years ago. He was coping with a thumb injury that year.
Honda LPGA Thailand triumph a habit for Yang; Ryu is second
CHONBURI, Thailand — Amy Yang won the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament for the second time in three years, finishing with a 4-under 68 for a five-stroke victory.
After inclement weather interrupted the tournament Saturday, Yang played the final five holes of the third round Sunday morning, completing a 65 to take a five-stroke advantage into the final round. She finished at 22-under 266 on Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course.
It’s her third LPGA Tour victory — in addition to her 2015 Thailand win, she won the KEB-HanaBank Championship in 2013.
Each of the top three finishers closed with a 68. So Yeon Ryu was second, with Sei Young Kim two strokes behind her at 15 under.
Fichardt’s 4-under 68 seals win at Joburg Open, British Open spot
JOHANNESBURG — Darren Fichardt won the rain-shortened Joburg Open, closing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke victory over Stuart Manley and Paul Waring at the European Tour event.
Fichardt rebounded from a bogey on 17 with a birdie on 18 to finish at 15-under 200 in 54 holes at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club. Manley closed with a 67, and Waring had a 69.
The top three finishers earned spots in the British Open.