SHANGHAI — Russell Knox fired a final round four-under-par 68 to win the WGC-HSBC Champions event on his World Golf Championships debut Sunday, the Scot finishing two shots clear of Kevin Kisner at the Sheshan International Golf Club.
The only player not to complete his third round in fading light Saturday, Knox returned to the course early Sunday and birdied the par-five 18th to join American Kisner at the top of the leaderboard after 54 holes.
The 30-year-old then used some supreme wedge play to offset two bogeys with six birdies on his way to a 20-under 268 total to become the first Scot to win a WGC event and also the first debutant to claim victory since Jeff Maggert in 1999.
Kisner again fell agonizingly short of claiming a first PGA Tour victory after signing off with a 70 to register his fourth runner-up finish of the year, the other three all coming in playoffs.
Danny Willett finished with the best round of the week, firing 10 birdies in his splendid 62 to join fellow Briton Ross Fisher (68) in a tie for third on 17-under.
World No. 3 McIlroy ended his tournament with a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 66 as the Northern Irishman finished just outside the top 10 on 14-under. Jordan Spieth carded a disappointing 70 to tie for seventh.
Ahn bags first LPGA Tour title
South Korean Ahn Sun-ju clinched her maiden LPGA Tour title after prevailing in a three-way playoff at the Toto Japan Classic Sunday.
The 28-year-old birdied the first hole of the sudden-death shootout to edge out compatriot Lee Ji-hee and American Angela Stanford to claim what was also her 20th title on the LPGA of Japan Tour.
Ahn carded a final round five-under 67 to join Lee (66) and Stanford (67) at the top with identical totals of 16-under 200 at the Kintestsu Kashikojima Country Club. Second round leader Jenny Shin carded 70 to finish one stroke behind the leading trio, while Thai Ariya Jutanugarn returned the week’s best round (64) to finish fifth at 14 under.
