Winner ends run of eight missed cuts
Rose finishes one back, laments putting
WASHINGTON — Former shoe salesman James Hahn put his best foot forward to win the Wells Fargo Championship in a playoff against fellow American Roberto Castro in North Carolina Sunday.
South Korean-born Hahn, who had missed the cut in his previous eight starts, broke out of his slump in style, sinking a four-foot par putt to win at the first extra hole.
Castro made Hahn’s task considerably easier by pulling his drive into the creek left of the fairway.
Hahn, 34, said he had started to question his future after his recent run of poor form.
“Eight straights missed cuts is tough,” he said in a greenside interview as his voice cracked with emotion. “You start questioning yourself, are you good enough? Will it ever happen again? And then you start thinking into the future, as far as selling shoes again for a living.
“It’s crazy to call myself a two-time PGA Tour champion.”
Hahn missed a six-foot par putt at the 72nd hole that would have won it in regulation. He then watched on a television monitor as Castro sank a par putt from a similar distance to send the event to a playoff.
Hahn (70) and Castro (71) finished regulation at nine-under-par 279, one shot in front of Englishman Justin Rose.
Americans Phil Mickelson and Andrew Loupe, third-round leader Rickie Fowler and defending champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland were two strokes back in a tie for fourth.
Rose (71) hit the front early in the final round but a three-putt bogey at the 16th hole proved his undoing.
McIlroy was pleased with his progress after three weeks off, a closing bogey notwithstanding.
Ariya first Thai LPGA winner
In Los Angeles, Ariya Jutanugarn fought off back nine nerves to par the 18th hole Sunday and win the Yokohama Tire Classic, becoming the first Thai player to win on the LPGA Tour.
Ariya started the fourth round with a three-stroke lead and despite a roller-coaster ride she managed to close with an even-par 72 to claim her first victory.
The 20-year-old from Bangkok finished at 14-under 274 to beat South Korea’s Amy Yang and Americans Morgan Pressel and Stacy Lewis by one shot and finally reach the winner’s circle after three top-10 finishes this year.
Yang had a 67, Pressel and Lewis both shot 68 as the trio finished tied for second at 13-under.
Ariya needed a par on the final hole to get the victory, and her drive on the 18th hole went into the left rough.
Her second shot fell short of the green but landed above a bunker. Ariya chipped to within five feet before sinking her par putt.
It wasn’t the way she drew it up, but Ariya finally broke through after a couple of near misses. She has twice held 54-hole leads but failed to convert those to wins.
Lewis has now gone 49 tournaments without a win. Her runner-up finish Sunday was her 11th-second-place finish during her title drought.
South Korean Ryu So-yeon, who led after 36 holes, had a 72 and finished at 10-under 278. First round leader Laetitia Beck of Israel also shot 72 to finish with three others six shots back of Ariya. — Agencies
