TORONTO (AP) — Nick Taylor became the first Canadian in 69 years to win his national open, holing a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to beat Tommy Fleetwood in the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday.
Taylor tossed his putter into the air and jumped into the arms of his caddie after making the longest putt of his PGA Tour career, and fellow Canadian players Mike Weir, Corey Conners and Adam Hadwin were among those who ran out to the green to congratulate him. Hadwin was tackled by a security guard while spraying champagne from a bottle.
The last player from Canada to win the Canadian Open was Pat Fletcher in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver. Fletcher was born in England; Carl Keffer had been the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914.
Taylor curled in an 11-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to finish at 17-under 271 at Oakdale for a 6-under 66. Fleetwood needed a birdie on the reachable par 5 to win in regulation, but he missed his tee shot right, laid up into an awkward lie in the right rough and two-putted for par to force the playoff in rainy conditions.
The players traded birdies on their first time playing No. 18 in the playoff. They both parred 18 and the par-3 ninth before heading back to 18.
Rory McIlroy shot 72 and tied for ninth.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Steve Stricker’s latest win on the PGA Tour Champions felt as big as any in his career, closing with a 3-under 69 on Sunday to win his American Family Insurance Championship in his native Wisconsin for his fourth title this year.
Stricker already has six senior majors, including the two played this year. This tournament was one his foundation began before he turned 50, and he finally got it.
Tied with Paul Broadhurst to start the final round, Stricker seized control with two straight birdies to close out the front nine at University Ridge Golf Club. He won by five shots over Broadhurst (74) and Steven Alker (70).
His other big win in Wisconsin was as Ryder Cup captain two years ago at Whistling Straits, when the Americans beat Europe by a record margin.
Stricker now has 15 wins on the PGA Tour Champions, and he gets another crack before the home crowd in the U.S. Senior Open at SentryWorld in Stevens Point.
LPGA TOUR
GALLOWAY, N.J. (AP) — Ashleigh Buhai seized the lead early with four birdies in her first five holes, closed with a short birdie for a 6-under 65 and held off Hyo Joo Kim for a one-shot victory in the ShopRite LPGA Classic on Sunday.
It was the fourth win worldwide over the past 10 months for Buhai, who finished at 14-under 199 in the 54-hole event on the Bay Course at Seaview.
Buhai won the Women’s British Open last August for her first major and first LPGA Tour win, and since has added titles in Australia and her native South Africa. At 34 years, 11 months, Buhai is the oldest winner this year on the youth-dominated LPGA Tour.
Buhai began the day three shots behind leader Dani Holmqvist (72). By the time she rolled in a long birdie on the par-4 fifth hole, she led by one over Kim.
Kim, in the final pairing, birdied the par-3 17th to give herself a chance, but she needed to eagle the par-5 18th to match Buhai and could only manage birdie. She shot 68.
EUROPEAN TOUR AND LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
STOCKHOLM (AP) — Dale Whitnell held his nerve to win the Scandinavian Mixed event on Sunday for his first career win on the European tour.
The 34-year-old English player, whose sole appearance at a major was 11 years ago, closed with a 2-under 70 to finish at 21-under 267, three shots clear of American Sean Crocker.
Whitnell set the tone for the men and women’s tournament at Ullna Golf with a closing 96-yard hole-out eagle in the opening round and he maintained that momentum with a second-round 61 for a six-shot lead at the halfway stage.
Crocker finished with a 7-under 65 to cut that lead to two with two to play, but Whitnell birdied the 17th to ease the pressure and see out the win.
Yannik Paul of Germany and Anne Van Dam of the Netherlands — widely considered one of the biggest hitters on the Ladies European Tour — tied for third at 15 under.
KORN FERRY TOUR
GREER, S.C. (AP) — Adrien Dumont de Chassart of Belgium closed with a 6-under 65 and beat Josh Teater with a par on the first playoff hole to win the BMW Charity Pro-Am for his first professional victory.
The Belgian, who just finished his fifth year at Illinois, went on a tear on the back nine with four straight birdies and an eagle to take the lead, only to make bogey on the final hole.
That led to a playoff with Teater (67), who bogeyed the 18th in a playoff.
The victory in his pro debut moves Dumont de Chassart to No. 22 on the Korn Ferry points list. The top 30 at the end of the season earn PGA Tour cards.
OTHER TOURS
Siyun Liu closed with 3-under 69 for a one-shot victory over Amelia Garvey in the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship for her first victory on the Epson Tour. … Keita Nakajima closed with a 7-under 65 and defeated Takumi Nakajima on the second playoff hole to win the ASO Iizuka Challenge on the Japan Golf Tour in a battle of two former No. 1 amateurs. … Sam Hutsby of England closed with a 71 and won the Andalucia Challenge de Cadiz in a six-man playoff with a par on the third extra hole. … Richard Green won his first Legends Tour title by closing with a 1-under 71 and defeating former British Open champion Paul Lawrie with a par on the third playoff hole in the Jersey Legends. … Chisato Iwai closed with a 4-under 68 for a five-shot victory over Jiyai Shin and Miyuu Yamashita in the Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open on the Japan LPGA.
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