English birdies eighth playoff hole to take Travelers Championship
Harris English birdied the eighth hole of sudden death to win the Travelers Championship Sunday in Cromwell, Conn., beating Kramer Hickok after both birdied the final hole of regulation to force the playoff.
It matched the secondlongest sudden-death playoff in PGA Tour history.
English shot a 5-under 65 to finish at 13 under, then made a 16-foot putt on the seventh trip down the 18th hole of the day. Hickok missed a 36-foot birdie putt on the final hole.
The tour record for a sudden-death playoff is 11 holes in the 1949 Motor City Open, when Lloyd Mangrum and Cary Middlecoff were declared co-winners by mutual agreement due to darkness; four other events have reached an eighth playoff hole.
The eight-hole playoff was a record for the tournament, which went seven holes in 1961 (Ted Kroll) and again in ‘62 (Bob Goalby), when it was known as the Insurance City Open.
It was the second win this year and the fourth
career victory for English, who finished third at the U.S. Open last week – and fourth in the pandemicdelayed U.S. Open in September.
WOMEN’S PGA
Nelly Korda powered her way to her first major championship Sunday with a performance worthy of her new status as the No. 1 player in women’s golf.
Korda nearly holed out with a 7-wood from 243 yards for a tap-in eagle, and the 22-year-old American seized control by using her length from that graceful swing for another
eagle that sent her to victory in the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Johns Creek, Ga.
She finished with a 15-foot par putt for a 4under 68, giving her a three-shot victory over Lizette Salas at the Atlanta Athletic Club. At 19under 269, she tied the Women’s PGA record to par last matched by Inbee Park at Westchester Country Club in 2015.
Korda won for the second straight week on the LPGA Tour – her third this year – and it was enough to become the first American at No. 1 in the women’s world ranking since
Stacy Lewis in 2014.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Steve Stricker won the Bridgestone Seniors Players Championship at difficult Firestone in Akron, Ohio, for his second victory of the year and third major title.
Eight strokes ahead in the third round and four in front entering the final round, Stricker closed with an even-par 70 for a sixstroke victory over defending champion and Wisconsin friend Jerry Kelly.
With wife Nicki working as his caddie, Stricker finished at 7-under 273 on the South Course. The
U.S. Ryder Cup captain opened with a 63, shot 68 in the second round and 72 in the third.
Stricker has had seven senior victories after winning 12 times on the PGA Tour.
EUROPEAN TOUR
Viktor Hovland became the first Norwegian winner in European Tour history, holding off Martin Kaymer by two strokes in the BMW International Open on Sunday.
Hovland closed with a 2-under 70 to finish at 19-under 269 at Munchen Eichenried in Munich.