Na takes Las Vegas playoff; Knight wins at home in Texas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kevin Na lost a three-shot lead on the back nine, saved his chances with a clutch par putt on the 17th hole and won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in a playoff Sunday when Patrick Cantlay three-putted the second extra hole.
It was a wild finish at the TPC Summerlin made possible mainly by Na's mistakes.
Leading by three shots going to the back nine, he made triple bogey on the 10th hole without finding a hazard. Then, he hit into the water on the par-5 16th and lost the lead for the first time all day with a bogey.
But he delivered a 25-foot par putt on the 17th hole to tie for the lead after Cantlay went into the water, and he matched Cantlay's birdie putt on the 18th on the first extra hole.
A day of mistakes ended with the worst one — a three-putt from Cantlay from 45 feet, the second one from just inside 6 feet.
Na, who closed with a 1-under 70, rolled in his 4-foot par putt and raised his arms in celebration. It was his third victory in the last 15 months, and third in as many seasons on the PGA Tour. He joined Jim Furyk as the only multiple winners in Las Vegas.
Cantlay was runner-up for the second straight year in Las Vegas, where he earned his first PGA Tour victory two years ago. Even so, this was a tough loss to take. As much as he took advantage of Na's blunders, Cantlay made some of his own.
Cantlay, trying to win for the third time when facing a deficit of at least three shots, closed with a 68.
They finished at 23-under 261.
LPGA TOUR
THE COLONY, Texas (AP) — Cheyenne Knight won her first LPGA Tour title in what she figured would be her last event of a tough rookie season, closing with a 5-under 66 for a two-shot victory before home support in Texas at the Volunteers of America Classic.
Knight had missed the cut in half of her 18 starts on the LPGA Tour and assumed she would be going back to the qualifying series. Instead, he pulled ahead of Jaye Marie Green and made a key birdie on the 17th hole to stay in front at Old American Golf Club.
Along with a two-year exemption, the 22-year-old Knight is eligible for the Asia Swing and is likely to reach the CME Globe Tour Championship next month. She finished at 18-under 266.
Brittany Altomare (67) and Green (69) finished two shots back.
Stephanie Meadow of Northern Ireland birdied the final hole for a 67 to tie for sixth, earning enough money to move into the top 100 on the LPGA money list and keep her card for next year.
EUROPEAN TOUR
MADRID (AP) — Jon Rahm won the Spanish Open for a second consecutive year for his fifth European Tour title, reaching that mark faster than the late Seve Ballesteros.
The 24-year-old Rahm closed with a 5-under 66 and finished at 22-under 262 to win by five shots. He captured his fifth European Tour title in 39 events, while Ballesteros needed 49 starts to record his fifth victory.
Rafa Cabrera Bello (66) was second, followed by another Spaniard, Samuel del Val (68), who was seven strokes back at the Club de Campo Villa.
Starting with a commanding five-shot lead, Rahm had an eagle and four birdies to go with one bogey on the final day. He put himself in position with a 63 on Saturday that tied the course record.
SYMETRA TOUR
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Laura Wearn birdied the par-5 18th at LPGA International for a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory in the Symetra Tour Championship, earning enough money to qualify for the LPGA Tour Q-Series with hopes of earning her card.
Janie Jackson made eagle on the final hole of the Jones Course for a 64 to share second with Jenny Coleman, who shot 67.
Perrine Delacour of France led the 10 players from the final money list who earned LPGA Tour cards for next year. She tied for 14th in the Symetra Tour Championship and won the money title over UCLA alum Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand.
The others to earn cards were Ssu-Chia Cheng, Jillian Hollis, Leona Maguire, Julieta Granada, Robynn Ree, Coleman, Esther Lee and Mind Muankhumsakul, who did not play the final event. The Thai missed her pro-am time on Wednesday and was withdrawn from the tournament. No one played well enough to move her from the 10th spot.
OTHER TOURS
Christine Wold of Austria closed with a 3-under 69 for a three-shot victory over Marianne Skarpnord of Norway in the Hero Women's Indian Open on the Ladies European Tour. ... Shaun Norris of South Africa closed with a 1-over 72 for a one-shot victory over Shota Akiyoshi and Ryuko Tokimatsu in the Tokai Classic on the Japan Golf Tour. ... Suradit Yongcharoenchai shot 2-under 70 for a one-shot victory in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on the Asian Tour. ... Oliver Farr rallied from a four-shot deficit with a 9-under 63 in the final round to win the Lalla Aicha Challenge in Morocco on the Challenge Tour in Europe. ... Augusto Nunez closed with a 5-under 67 for a six-shot victory in the Banco del Pacifico Open on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica. ... Nasa Hataoka shot 3-under 69 for a four-shot victory in the Japan Women's Open Championship on the Japan LPGA. ... Ha Na Jang closed with a 2-under 70 for a one-shot victory in the Hana Financial Group Championship on the Korean LPGA Tour. ... Thriston Lawrence closed with a 7-under 65 to win the Vodacom Origins of Golf Stellenbosch on the Sunshine Tour. ... Thomas Levet of France won his first Staysure Tour title with a 68 for a one-shot victory over Markus Brier in the Farmfoods European Senior Masters.
