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Tour Mash: In Gee Chun wins 2nd major, sets Evian Championship scoring record

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The PGA Tour took a break from its FedEx Cup Playoff run ahead of this week’s concluding Tour Championship in Atlanta. The world’s other top tours picked up the slack, with the women playing for a major title in France, the Web.com Tour winding down in Boise and PGA Tour Canada concluding its season in London, Ontario.

For all this week’s mashable moments, get comfy and read on!

LPGA Tour: In Gee Chun wins 2nd major, sets scoring record

In Gee Chun won the hearts of fans when she introduced herself as “Dumbo” on the way to winning the 2015 U.S. Open. That victory at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania was her first title, albeit as a non-member of the LPGA Tour. At the Evian Championship in France on Sunday, Chun won her second tour title and first as a member, and — Lo and Behold! — it was another major.

In Gee jumped out on Thursday with eight birdies for 63 and a first-place tie with countrywoman Sung Hyun Park, who would ultimately tie for second spot. Chun followed up with a six-birdie performance on Friday, marred by a bogey at the 4th hole, to assume the lead. Moving into contention was another Korean golfer, So Yeon Ryu.

Related: Golf is fun again for In Gee Chun

Day 3 was the difference-maker for Chun. Her 65 opened a wide gap on the field and put her in position to break the tournament record for lowest score, which she did on Sunday by two shots with an easy 69. Ryun and Park tied for second place with Shanshan Feng of China, the Olympic bronze medalist, in 4th alone at 15-under, two back of second place and six behind first.

PGA Tour: Thompson claims Boise Open after electric weekend

After opening with 129 and the lead through the first two rounds, Andrew “Beef” Johnson could merely watch as Michael Thompson twinned 64s on Saturday and Sunday to reach 23-under par and win the Albertson’s Boise Open.

As happens this late in the season, Thompson took over the points lead of the Finals Series in Idaho in an effort to improve his standing on the PGA Tour next season. The former Alabama golfer finished 145th last year in FedEx points, losing his tour card. Thompson was battled all day by Miguel Angel Carballo of Argentina at the Web.com Tour’s longest-running event. Carballo played his first six holes in 5-under to join the fray, but had a six-hole, mid-round stretch of all pars to cool off.

Winning WITB: See the clubs Thompson used to win. 

Thompson heated up on the back nine, playing flawless golf with five birdies and four pars to distance himself from the runner-up Carballo,and finish three shots clear of his Platense pursuer. The Argentine moved into 3rd place on the Finals series money list, while Johnston took some solace from a top-10 finish and a move to sixth on the money list, guaranteeing a PGA Tour card for 2016-17.

European Tour: Italian Open back in hands of Francesco Molinari

Francesco Molinari had not visited the winner’s circle in four years, and the added pressure of a run at his country’s national open certainly made a Sunday return unlikely. Oh, and Masters champion Danny Willett was in the thick of the battle after birdie-eagle on the back nine. So what did Molinari do? He posted a final-round 65 and a 22-under 262 on the week to hld off Willett for his second Italian Open title, 10 years after claiming his first.

Related: Molinari’s Winning WITB

A number of golfers, including Spain’s Nacho Elvira and England’s Chris Paisley, toured the Golf Club Milano this week in search of inaugural European Tour wins. By the end, the tournament was in the four hands of Molinari and Willett. The Italian began the day eagle-birdie, went out in 31 and assumed a commanding lead. Willett, as previously mentioned, had a wonderful day with three birdies and an eagle, but could not find that one extra stroke to force a playoff as the day concluded.

Mackenzie Tour: Freedom 55 Financial Championship to France’s Paul Barjon

The 2016 Mackenzie Tour PGA Tour Canada campaign drew to a close in London, Ontario, with plenty of swag on the line. Dan McCarthy had clinched the Order of Merit a few weeks back, but four other hockey sweaters (and accompanying Web.com Tour cards) awaited in the season-ending event.

Paul Barjon had a career round on Saturday, posting nine birdies and pars for an exquisite 61. That performance stole the lead from Aaron Wise, who had opened 62-63, setting the stage for Sunday’s closing 18. Barjon held firm with 68, just barely holding off Tahiti’s Vaita Guillaume, who topped Barjon’s 61 with a 60 of his own. Guillaume signed for nine birdies and an eagle, but his run at 59 was derailed by a 6th-hole bogey.

At day’s end, McCarthy was joined by fellow USA’ers Brock Mackenzie, Taylor Moore and Wise, along with Canada’s Adam Cornelson, as members of The Five who earned promotions to the Web.com Tour next season. Barjon barely missed out, finishing in sixth spot, some $2,700 shy of Cornelson’s total.

PGA Tour LA: Copa Diners Club inscribes Lashley’s name on winner’s trophy

Nate Lashley is not en fuego, as some wags would have you believe. Instead, let’s call him caliente (with a side of picante) on PGA Tour Latinoamerica. The U.S. veteran picked up his second victory in as many weeks on the junior circuit, setting the stage for a potential Web.com Tour card in 2017.

Lashley completed four rounds in Quito, Ecuador, at 15-under following an opening 68 with three successive 67s. On his heels were young Australian Ryan Ruffels and USA countryman Case Cochran. Ruffels had 64 on Sunday, while Cochran closed with 66. Lashley remained in control all day, with five birdies and one bogey. Nothing short of a 60 would threaten his hold on the top spot.

With the triumph, Lashley moved into the top spot of Los Cinco, some $4,000 clear of Argentina’s Augusto Nunez. The tour moves to Brasil this week, with six tournaments remaining before the Tour Championship in early December.

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Ronald Montesano writes for GolfWRX.com from western New York. He dabbles in coaching golf and teaching Spanish, in addition to scribbling columns on all aspects of golf, from apparel to architecture, from equipment to travel. Follow Ronald on Twitter at @buffalogolfer.

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  1. Ron

    Sep 20, 2016 at 9:04 pm

    When did movie stars start winning LPGA majors?

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2024 Valero Texas Open

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GolfWRX is on site this week at the Valero Texas Open.

The event has been around since 1922, making it one of the oldest on the PGA Tour calendar. Over the years, it’s been held at a variety of courses across the Lone Star State, but it’s found its home at TPC San Antonio in recent years. Some of the biggest names in golf have taken home the title here, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, and Ben Crenshaw.

GolfWRX has its usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs and special pull-out albums. As always, we’ll continue to update the links below as more photos come in from TPC San Antonio.

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Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open

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GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.

As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.

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Photos from the 2024 Players Championship

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On the heels of Scottie Scheffler’s dominant victory at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour heads a little farther north in Florida to TPC Sawgrass this week for The Players Championship. And of course, GolfWRX is on site to get a look at what the players are playing.

We’ve already spotted a new Titleist mini driver this week, and there’s plenty more.

Check out our photos below!

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