Part of the USA watched as Hurricane Henri moved through the Atlantic Ocean, destined for the upper east coast and metro New York. The PGA Tour wisely postponed round four of its first playoff event. The only guy who truly hated that decision was Cameron Smith, he of the mullet. The Aussie signed for 60 on Saturday, and must have been ready for more, but had to wait a bit longer. In the interim, the LPGA crowned a champion, and three other tours identified winners. How did Smith and Company fare on Monday at The Northern Trust? Roll on with us to this week’s edition of Tour Rundown to find out.

LPGA: Fate rewards Nordqvist with British Open title

I’m a big believer in fate, and I believe that Anna Nordqvist’s playoff loss in the 2016 US Open was an ethical breach by the USGA. The Swede has enjoyed mighty success, but the loss due to an indefensible vagary must have stung like a thousand bee stings. Eyes were not on her in the run-up to this week at Carnoustie, which is precisely the way champions like things. Would it be Nelly, or Georgia, or Ariya, or some unexpected challenger like Lizette, or Madelene, or Nanna? Well, it rhymed with Nanna, so let’s get to it.

Nordqvist’s recipe for a third major title had few ingredients. First, hang around through 36 with a pair of 71s. Then, light up the course for the week’s low round by two shots on Saturday, three better than anyone else in contention. Finally, play rock-solid on Sunday and let the rest of them make mistakes. Wags and pundits will contend that a third round should not figure into the annals of greatness, but the Swede’s seven-birdie, zero-bogey effort on moving day merits consideration. No one else had better than 68, which meant that Nordqvist gained more than those three shots on the challengers. On Sunday, she went out and posted just one bogey, well offset by four birdies.

On her heels were former Open champion Georgia Hall, who parlayed two eagles and three birdies into a closing 67. Alas, it was one shot away from forcing a playoff. Madelene Sagstrom, a fellow Swede, stood tied with the champion as she played the 72nd hole. A disheartening bogey at the home hole dropped her into a tie with Hall for 2nd. Has fate returned something stolen to Nordstrom the Great? I say yes!

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What a putt from @ANordqvist ? #RaiseOurGame | #AIGWO pic.twitter.com/haDpH6AHMs

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) August 22, 2021

PGA Tour: Northern Trust answers the big question in PGA Tour Golf

Five years ago, in March, Tony Finau won in Puerto Rico. Two years on, he was selected to the USA Ryder Cup squad, still with one victory. On and on, the months came and went, with high finishes, close calls, but no second victory to accompany the first one. Finally, after five years of chasing drives and finishing putts, Tony Finau has won again. Finau defeated Cameron Smith on the first extra hole to claim the first playoff event of 2021. He’ll again play for the USA at the Ryder Cup next month. For now, he has the FedEx Cup in his scope.

Finau played in the penultimate pairing on Monday, after the final round was postponed a day. While his fellow competitors spun their wheels a bit, Finau caught lightning on the inward half. He notched three birdies coming home, but no shot was more important that the approach he hit to the par-five 13th hole. From 218 yards, Finau ripped a skyscraper over water, to three feet for eagle. His inward 30 gave him 65 on the day, highlighted by a clutch up-and-down for par at the last hole.  Jon Rahm, playing behind Finau, made a pair of bogies coming home, to finish third by himself.

Only Cameron Smith, tied for the lead with Rahm at day’s start, could catch him. Smith’s birdies at 16 and 17 forced a playoff, but went OOB on his extra-hole tee shot to end his hopes. THAT question no longer lingers, and it’s time for the BMW in Maryland, to see who takes charge of the FedEx Cup playoff chase.

Leader in the clubhouse at -20.@TonyFinauGolf finishes with a clutch par save from the bunker on 18. pic.twitter.com/2CzzOoi0TH

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 23, 2021

European Tour: Veerman wins Czech Masters as others fade 

It’s a shame that headlines and ledes often shuffle 63 holes aside, in favor of the events of the closing nine holes. At the Albatross Resort in Praque, one could make a case for shuffling the initial 69 holes aside, as the fireworks (fierce and fizzled) took place over the final triumvirate of holes. In the mix were Johannes Veerman of the USA and Tapio Pulkkanen of Finland, along with major champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden. Each of them would give what Sean Crocker (also USA) did at the 18th: make birdie to back-door his way into a tie for second.

At the par-three 16th hole, both Pulkkanen and Veerman made birdie two, while Stenson’s tee ball met a watery demise, along with his chance at victory. At that juncture, the Fedora-wearing Pulkkanen held a one-shot advantage over Veerman. All of that went away as the Fin finished bogey-double bogey, while Veerman made a pair of pars. Pulkkanen fell into the aforementioned tie for second, while Veerman raised a European Tour trophy for the first time. Stenson concluded the week in a tie for fourth spot.

The turning point?

Johannes Veerman's shot to the 16th on the way to victory at the D+D Real Czech Masters. #CzechMasters pic.twitter.com/8yp0IkM6AN

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 22, 2021

Korn Ferry Tour: Boise Open is Siggnificant victory for Greyson

This oldest of the AAA Tour events (so many sponsors over the years to cue up … Hogan, Nike, Buy.Com, Nationwide, Web.Com) has seen brilliant finishes over the years. This year, JJ Spaun made birdie at the last to reach 18 under par, but he didn’t win. England’s Aaron Rai came to the last with the lead, made double bogey, and he didn’t win. And Stephan Jaeger, who finds himself in contention nearly every week, made par at the 72nd hole, but he didn’t win!

Back in May, Greyson Sigg broke through in Knoxville for his first Korn Ferry Tour title. At Boise, he notched victory number two into his persimmon. The UGeorgia alumnus is on his way to the PGA Tour for 2021-2022, but rolling on to the big tour with two titles certainly gives more confidence than one. At Knoxville, Sigg opened with 61, closed with 66, and held off … yup, Stephan Jaeger. At Boise, Sigg followed the same recipe: put yourself in position and let the other guy make the mistake. Rai muscled his approach over the green, chipped from the rough behind and then, in front of, the final green, and fell to a tie for second with Spaun.

Trailing by one at the 72nd hole, @GBSigg two-putted for par from the back fringe @Boise_Open to post 19-under.

His playing partner Aaron Rai faced a delicate third shot from just behind the par-4 18th green. pic.twitter.com/ZzIXwhbF2A

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) August 23, 2021

PGA Tour Champions: Pampling cues up Boeing Classic for first Champions win

I always think back to Twin Peaks when I consider the pacific northwest. Strange things can happen there. Who would expect the daring Woody Austin to play Sunday’s final nine in +1, including bogey at the par-five last, when birdie would have earned a playoff spot? Who would anticipate that Jim Furyk, after touring the front in a commanding minus-three, would play that same back nine in the same +1, with one bogey and seven pars? That final hole wasn’t impossible. Billy Mayfair and Alex Cejka made birdie and eagle, respectively, in the final 60 minutes of the tournament. Strange things, indeed.

So let us introduce Rodney Pampling, Australian by birth, golfer by choice, as your Boeing Classic winner for 2021. Pampling won three times on the PGA Tour, and played his final half in 4-3-2. He posted four pars, three birdies, and two bogies. Those numbers jumped him ahead of the aforementioned Mayfair and Furyk, along with Tim Herron, all of whom tied for second at 11-under par. Pampling’s closing 66 got him to 12 deep on the week. He wasn’t the only golfer to reach that figure, but he was the only one to take up permanent residence there.

A hot start for @RodPampling. ?

He leads by 1 @BoeingClassic. pic.twitter.com/MqpTyQTuSv

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) August 22, 2021