Wie’s winless run ends in Singapore
SINGAPORE — Michelle Wie made a 36-foot putt from off the green on the final hole to win the Women’s World Championship by one stroke Sunday, capturing her first LPGA Tour victory since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open.
With four players in contention to win on the last hole, Wie separated herself from the pack when she drained her lengthy birdie putt for a final round of 7-under-par 65 at Sentosa Golf Club. She finished at 17-under 271.
The 28-year-old Wie, who led the tournament after three rounds a year ago before fading on the last day, leaped into the air and clenched her fist in celebration as the ball disappeared into the bottom of the cup.
But she still faced an anxious wait before being declared the champion. There was a four-way tie for second.
“Winning is everything. I mean, there is no better feeling than when you think you sink that winning putt. It’s a high, for sure,” Wie said. “You go out there, and it’s this feeling that gets you going. It’s this feeling that makes you practice. It’s that winning putt that makes you practice for hours and hours and hours, and even the hard times, it gets you going back. You know that good feeling is on the other side.”
Third-round leader Nelly Korda parred her last eight holes. The 19-year-old, who joined the LPGA Tour last year, hit a superb approach into the 18th to set up a birdie opportunity that would have forced a playoff but missed her eight-foot putt and settled for a 71.
Danielle Kang (70), last year’s winner in Singapore, parred her last 14 holes but was unable to drain a longer birdie putt on the final hole to force a playoff. Kang, Korda, Brooke Henderson (67) and Jenny Shin (65) shared second.
Plagued by injuries since capturing her first major title four years ago, Wie started the final round five strokes off the pace and needing to shoot low after Sei Young Kim flirted with a 59 before settling for a course record of 10-under 62.
Wie made a strong start with three birdies on the front nine, then added three more in her first five holes after the turn before saving her best for last.
“It’s been a tough journey since 2014. I think it’s been kind of well-documented. You know, I’ve had some injuries, had a really bad year, just lost a lot of confidence,” Wie said. “But I’m just really proud of myself for pulling myself out of it. I felt like I had a good year last year, a year where I built confidence, and I just want to keep building confidence from there.”
Stricker breaks through
TUCSON, Ariz. — Steve Stricker closed with three pars for a 4-under 69 and a two-stroke victory in the Cologuard Classic, his first PGA Tour Champions win.
Stricker, a 51-year-old 12-time PGA Tour winner, finished at 14-under 205 in the 54-hole event. He won in his eighth start on the 50-and-older tour. He has six top three-finishes on the circuit, including tying for second two weeks ago in the Chubb Classic.
Scott Dunlap (71), Jerry Kelley (65) and Gene Sauers (70) shared second. Olin Browne (69), Bob Estes (69) and Rocco Mediate (72) tied for fifth at 10 under.
Coetzee wins at home
PRETORIA, South Africa — George Coetzee won for the first time in two years by closing with a 4-under 67 for a two-shot victory over Sam Horsfield in the European Tour’s Tshwane Open.
Coetzee finished at 18-under 266. Horsfield also closed with a 67, while Mikko Korhonen shot a 68 and was another stroke back in third.
Coetzee had a two-shot lead going into the final round at Pretoria Country Club — his hometown course — and Horsfield stayed in range for most of the front nine. They were tied through 10 holes until a pivotal two-shot swing on the 11th hole, when Coetzee made birdie and Horsfield dropped a shot.
Coetzee birdied the next two holes and stretched his lead to four shots before finishing at 18-under 266.