Simpson cruises to 6-stroke Vegas win
LAS VEGAS — Webb Simpson earned a victory Sunday at TPC Summerlin, pulling away for a 6-stroke win in the second event of the PGA Tour’s new wraparound season.
Winning for the first time since the 2012 U.S. Open, Simpson closed with a 5-under 66 in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
He finished at 24-under 260 after opening with rounds of 64, 63 and 67 to take a 4-stroke lead into the final round.
“As we were going kind of middle of the round, pins were tough, greens were drying out and I knew it would take a really special round for somebody to shoot 7, 8 under,” Simpson said.
“So, I felt like I was in control, and I asked my caddie, once I hit it on the green on17, where we stood. And I was just thankful that I was able to kind of manage my golf ball the last couple rounds.”
Simpson earned $1.08 million for his fourth PGATour title. In addition to the U.S. Open last year at the Olympic Club, he won the Wyndham Championship and Deutsche Bank Championship in 2011.
Ryo Ishikawa and Jason Bohn tied for second. Ishikawa, the Japanese player who had to play the Web.com Tour Finals to regain his PGA Tour card, shot a 65. Bohn had a 66.
LPGA Tour
INCHEON, South Korea — Amy Yang birdied the first playoff hole on Sunday to beat South Korean compatriot Hee Kyung Seo and win the KEB HanaBank Championship for her first career title.
Yang’s 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole at the Ocean Course in Incheon sealed the win for 24-year-old Yang, who has been a member of the tour since 2009.
“I’ve been waiting for this championship for a long time, and I’m really happy to get it in my home country,” Yang said. “I still can’t believe it.”
Yang began Sunday’s final round trailing co-leaders Katherine HullKirk of Australia and Anna Nordqvist of Sweden by1stroke. The South Korean stayed near the top for most of the round and surged into a tie for the lead after an eagle at the par-4 15th moved her to 8-under for the tournament.
Yang saved par on the next two holes and birdied the par-5 18th to force a playoff with Seo as both players finished at 9-under 207.
Champions Tour
CONOVER,N.C.— Michael Allen was more than willing to work a little overtime Sunday at Rock Barn.
“I got off to a good start this year, but the rest of the year has been up and down,” Allen said after beating Olin Browne in a playoff in the Greater Hickory Classic. “It’s been a frustrating year overall. At the end of the year, I really wanted to have a good finish. I really want to win a few tournaments … but today turned out to be an exciting finish.”
Allen won his second Champions Tour title of the year and fifth overall, birdieing the first extra hole. Allen closed with a 5-under 65, also birdieing the par-5 18th in regulation to match Browne at13-under197. Browne shot a 64, charging to the lead with seven birdies over a nine-hole stretch.
“I got off to a little bit of a slow start,” Browne said. “But I had that great run, and gave myself a chance. One more putt here or there, and I would have had no worries.”
In the playoff, Allen put his second shot within10 feet, and Browne hooked his second shot badly into the rough off the green.
Allen’s eagle putt just lipped out, and he tapped in for birdie. Browne missed a 40-foot putt for birdie and settled for par.