Snedeker romps home in Fiji

NATADOLA, Fiji — Brandt Snedeker romped to a nine-stroke victory in the Fiji International Sunday with a sublime performance in blustery conditions that secured his first European title after his leading role at the Ryder Cup. The 35-year-old American, who finished 3-0 in the United States’ triumph over Europe in Minnesota, shot a four-under 68 at the Natadola Bay Golf Course to finish with a 16-under total of 272, leaving New Zealander Michael Hendry a distant runner-up. An eight-time winner on the US Tour, Snedeker started the final day with a three-stroke lead and extended that to seven at the turn with four birdies during a brilliant front nine. He stumbled on the 10th, but holed a monster putt for bogey to limit the damage and from there was unflappable heading back to the clubhouse as the chasing pack of Australian and New Zealand challengers fell away. The win in the A$1.5 million ($1.14 million) co-sanctioned event, in his 61st attempt on the European Tour, was his first outside of the Americas and leaves the title in US hands after Ryder Cup team mate Matt Kuchar’s triumph last year. New Zealand’s Brad Shilton finished in a four-way tie for third with Australians Andrew Evans, Matthew Giles and Anthony Houston, 10 strokes adrift. Three-time Major winner Vijay Singh finished joint 21st at three-under for the tournament in his homeland. Haas takes Newport lead Jay Haas shot an 8-under 63 Saturday to take a five-stroke lead in the Toshiba Classic, putting him position to become the second-oldest winner in PGA Tour Champions history. At 62 years, 10 months, 7 days Sunday, Haas would fall short of only Mike Fetchick, the 1985 Hilton Head Seniors Invitational winner at 63 years to the day. Gary Player is No. 2 on the list at 62 years, 9 months, 22 days in the 1998 Northville Long Island Classic. The 2007 winner at Newport Beach Country Club, Haas has played 36 holes without a bogey. He shot a 64 on Friday for a share of the first-round lead with Billy Mayfair. Haas won the last of his 17 senior titles in 2014. He won times on the PGA Tour and captained the United States’ winning Presidents Cup team last year in South Korea. Fred Funk, at age 60, was second after a 65. He eagled the 15th and birdied 18. John Daly shot a 66 to top the group at 9-under. Grant Waite (65), Ian Woosnam (66), Doug Garwood (66), Billy Andrade (6) and Bart Bryant (6) also were 9 under. Defending champion Duffy Waldorf was tied for 14th at 7-under after a 68. Mayfair, making his sixth start on the tour after turning 50 in August, had a 76 to drop into a tie for 45th at 2-under. Poom cruises to victory Thailand’s Poom Saksansin cruised to a comfortable five-shot victory when he closed with a five-under-par 67 to win his first Asian Tour title at the BNI Indonesian Masters Sunday. The 23-year-old held a two-shot lead at the start of the day and stayed ahead of the chasing pack by shooting six birdies against one bogey to finish on 18-under-par 270 at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club. Thai teenagers Phachara Khongwatmai and Suradit Yongcharoenchai, both aged 17, and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura settled for tied second place at the $750,000 event. The victory earned him $135,000, which promoted him from 101st to 21st position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.