English outlasts Hickok on Travelers’ eighth extra hole

CROMWELL, Conn. — Harris English birdied the eighth sudden-death hole Sunday to win the Travelers Championship, beating Kramer Hickok after both birdied the final hole of regulation to force the playoff.

It matched the second-longest sudden-death playoff in PGA Tour history.

English shot a 5-under-par 65 to finish the fourth round at 13 under and then made a 5-foot putt on the day’s seventh trip to the 18th hole. Hickok had missed a 36-foot birdie putt and finished the playoff with eight straight pars.

The tour record for a sudden-death playoff is 11 holes in the 1949 Motor City Open. Four other events have reached an eighth playoff hole.

It was the fourth win and second this year for English, who was third at the U.S. Open the previous week — and fourth in the pandemic-delayed U.S. Open in September. He won $1,368,000 and 500 Fedex Cup points, moving into second in the standings.

■ LPGA: At Johns Creek, Ga., Nelly Korda powered to her first major title and second straight tour victory, closing the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship with a 4-under 68 for a 19-under 269 total and a three-shot win over Lizette Salas (71). Korda, 22, became the first American at No. 1 in the women’s world ranking since Stacy Lewis in 2014. And Korda tied the tournament record to par last matched by Bishop Gorman product Inbee Park in 2015.

■ Champions: At Akron, Ohio, Steve Stricker won the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship by six strokes for his second 2021 victory and third major title. The 54-year-old U.S. Ryder Cup captain closed with an evenpar 70 for a 7-under 273 total. Jerry Kelly (72), who was alone in second, was the lone other player under par.

■ European PGA: At Munich, Viktor Hovland held off Martin Kaymer in the BMW International Open to become the tour’s first Norwegian winner. The 23-year-old two-time PGA Tour winner closed with a 2-under 70 for a 19-under 269 total to top Kaymer (64) by two shots.