Stanley notches emotional win at Potomac
July 4, 2017 | 12:00 AM
Kyle Stanley celebrates with the trophy after winning the Quicken Loans National golf tournament at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. — Reuters
July 4, 2017 | 12:00 AM
Last Updated: July 4, 2017 | 12:00 AM
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POTOMAC, United States — Kyle Stanley parred the first playoff hole Sunday to defeat fellow American Charles Howell and win the US PGA National, capturing his first tour victory in more than five years.
Stanley, whose only prior PGA triumph came at the 2012 Phoenix Open, matched Howell with a final-round four-under par 66 at TPC Potomac, leaving them deadlocked after 72 holes on seven-under 273.
Howell found the rough off the tee and left himself a 10-foot par putt while final-day playing partner Stanley was just off the green in two, then chipped to four feet. Howell missed and tapped in, then Stanley sank his putt and celebrated.
Ninth-ranked Rickie Fowler made a career-high nine birdies but the US star also made two bogeys and a double bogey to settle for a share of third with Scotsman Martin Laird on 275.
South Korean Kang Sung was in a pack sharing fifth on 276 that included Sweden's David Lingmerth, Australians Curtis Luck and Marc Leishman and Americans Ben Martin, Keegan Bradley, Johnson Wagner and Spencer Levin.
Howell had some consolation despite failing to end his decade-old win drought, joining Stanley, Laird and Kang in qualifying for the British Open, the season's next major event teeing off July 20 at Royal Birkdale.
Stanley, who lost his only other PGA playoff in 2012 at Torrey Pines, prevailed after a back nine shootout that saw 12 players within three strokes of the lead at one stage.
Nick Watney matched the course record of 64 set by US compatriot Russ Cochran in 2010. "I definitely just tried to keep it really simple," Watney said. "I was doing a lot of good things. It all kind of came together."
Kang wins women's PGA Championship
In Olympia Fields, Illinois, Danielle Kang's one regret after her maiden LPGA triumph at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Sunday was that her father was not alive to see her become a major winner.
Kang, a two-times US Women’s Amateur champion, took longer to win as a pro than many expected but finally closed the deal with a three-under-par 68 for a one-shot victory over Canadian Brooke Henderson at Olympia Fields. K.S. Kang was unable to witness his daughter's victory, however, having died of cancer in late 2013 near the end of her second year on the LPGA Tour.
California-born Kang broke clear with four consecutive birdies from the 11th hole as her putter caught fire, but fell back into a tie with Henderson after bogeying the par-three 17th, where she found a bunker with her tee shot.
But Kang held her nerve at the par-five 18th, hitting two near-perfect shots to the heart of the green before two-putting to cap her victory with a closing birdie.
She finished at 13-under 271, while Henderson, whose eagle putt at the last stopped on the lip of the cup, had to settle for second on 12-under after a closing five-under 66.
South Korean Chella Choi, who started the final round tied with Kang, carded 71 to finish third on 10-under.
Earlier, a freight train rumbled past barely 50 yards from the first tee as Kang and Choi started the final round, a modest crowd of perhaps 200 people following the leaders, many more preferring to watch former child prodigy Michelle Wie.
Perry claims US
Open Senior title
Kenny Perry shot a final round two-under-par 68 to win the US Senior Open on Sunday at Salem Country Club in Peabody, Massachusetts.
Perry entered the last round a shot behind Kirk Triplett but made his way to the top with steady play in a bogey-free round that put him at 16-under-par and gave him a two-stroke win.
Brandt Jobe finished third at nine under while Tom Lehman and Fred Couples were tied at eight under. Perry’s win broke the major dominance of German Bernhard Langer, who had won the year’s first two major titles but finished tied for 18th this week. — Agencies
Stanley, whose only prior PGA triumph came at the 2012 Phoenix Open, matched Howell with a final-round four-under par 66 at TPC Potomac, leaving them deadlocked after 72 holes on seven-under 273.
Howell found the rough off the tee and left himself a 10-foot par putt while final-day playing partner Stanley was just off the green in two, then chipped to four feet. Howell missed and tapped in, then Stanley sank his putt and celebrated.
Ninth-ranked Rickie Fowler made a career-high nine birdies but the US star also made two bogeys and a double bogey to settle for a share of third with Scotsman Martin Laird on 275.
South Korean Kang Sung was in a pack sharing fifth on 276 that included Sweden's David Lingmerth, Australians Curtis Luck and Marc Leishman and Americans Ben Martin, Keegan Bradley, Johnson Wagner and Spencer Levin.
Howell had some consolation despite failing to end his decade-old win drought, joining Stanley, Laird and Kang in qualifying for the British Open, the season's next major event teeing off July 20 at Royal Birkdale.
Stanley, who lost his only other PGA playoff in 2012 at Torrey Pines, prevailed after a back nine shootout that saw 12 players within three strokes of the lead at one stage.
Nick Watney matched the course record of 64 set by US compatriot Russ Cochran in 2010. "I definitely just tried to keep it really simple," Watney said. "I was doing a lot of good things. It all kind of came together."
Kang wins women's PGA Championship
In Olympia Fields, Illinois, Danielle Kang's one regret after her maiden LPGA triumph at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Sunday was that her father was not alive to see her become a major winner.
Kang, a two-times US Women’s Amateur champion, took longer to win as a pro than many expected but finally closed the deal with a three-under-par 68 for a one-shot victory over Canadian Brooke Henderson at Olympia Fields. K.S. Kang was unable to witness his daughter's victory, however, having died of cancer in late 2013 near the end of her second year on the LPGA Tour.
California-born Kang broke clear with four consecutive birdies from the 11th hole as her putter caught fire, but fell back into a tie with Henderson after bogeying the par-three 17th, where she found a bunker with her tee shot.
But Kang held her nerve at the par-five 18th, hitting two near-perfect shots to the heart of the green before two-putting to cap her victory with a closing birdie.
She finished at 13-under 271, while Henderson, whose eagle putt at the last stopped on the lip of the cup, had to settle for second on 12-under after a closing five-under 66.
South Korean Chella Choi, who started the final round tied with Kang, carded 71 to finish third on 10-under.
Earlier, a freight train rumbled past barely 50 yards from the first tee as Kang and Choi started the final round, a modest crowd of perhaps 200 people following the leaders, many more preferring to watch former child prodigy Michelle Wie.
Perry claims US
Open Senior title
Kenny Perry shot a final round two-under-par 68 to win the US Senior Open on Sunday at Salem Country Club in Peabody, Massachusetts.
Perry entered the last round a shot behind Kirk Triplett but made his way to the top with steady play in a bogey-free round that put him at 16-under-par and gave him a two-stroke win.
Brandt Jobe finished third at nine under while Tom Lehman and Fred Couples were tied at eight under. Perry’s win broke the major dominance of German Bernhard Langer, who had won the year’s first two major titles but finished tied for 18th this week. — Agencies
