The week after a major championship eases the vibe a bit, if only to prepare the world of golf fans for the next premier event. That one is coming this week, at he Chevron Championship, the first major for the LPGA. The PGA Tour found itself on Hilton Head Island, while the LPGA was on another island, in the Hawaiian chain. The Korn Ferry Tour was in Texas, at Texas Rangers golf club. Two of the three events went to extra holes, and the third was headed that way, until the winner drained his eighth birdie of the day on the 72nd green. Tour Rundown has an abbreviated, three-event synopsis for you, so enjoy our quick tour of the professional golf world.
PGA Tour @ RBC Heritage: Spieth nearly defends, but Fitzpatrick finds a way
The first news of the week out of Harbour Town, was the announcement of Rory McIlroy’s withdrawal. The pain was eased when Masters champion Jon Rahm confirmed that he would compete. He finished in a tie for 15th, at 11-under par. The week began with Jordan Spieth teeing off into Callabogue Sound, accompanied by the thunder and smoke of a cannon blast. Such is the trapping of the defending champion. Spieth went out and gave the greatest attempt at a title defense possible. He was the second-last man left standing.
The final round began with Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, a shot ahead of Patrick Cantlay. Given the nature of the Pete Dye-designed course at Sea Pines Resort, no one was going to run away with the tournament. Jordan Spieth gave it his best, reaching a two-shot advantage with five to play. Cantlay had consecutive bogeys at 13 and 14, and his birdie at the last was one stroke more than he needed to match the Texan. Fitzpatrick avoided bogeys down the stretch, and his pair of birdies at 15 and 16 were enough to catch the leader.
Spieth and Fitzpatrick went off to the 18th to settle things, but despite legitimate birdie opportunities at the first two playoff holes (they went to 17 next) there was no winner. On the third extra hole, Matt Fitzpatrick did what you see below, and Spieth could not match him. The victory was Fitzpatrick’s second on the PGA Tour, and his ninth overall as a professional.
LPGA @ LOTTE: Brief playoff goes Grace’s way
No matter who came out of the three-way playoff at Ewa Beach, the LPGA was going to honor a first-time champion in Oahu. China’s Yu Liu, Australia’s Grace Kim, and South Korea’s Yu Jin Sung (playing on a sponsor’s invitation) finished 12-under par 272. Taiwan’s Peiyun Chien and Sweden’s Linnea Storm just missed out with their 11-under 273 totals.
Sung had the 54-hole lead, despite her relative inexperience on the big tour. She and Kim each made birdie at the 72nd hole, to catch Liu. The trio headed back to the 18th tee, The par-five closer, a mid-length hole that normally plays as the course’s ninth, offered a chance at an electric conclusion to the playoff. Liu struggled from tee to green, and posted a bogey six. Sung played the hole well, but was unable to coax her birdie effort into the cup. It was left to Kim to assess a six-feet putt for the win, and she got it right. The victory was the first for the 22-year old now-champion golfer.
Korn Ferry Tour @ Veritex: Spencer Levin resurfaces for first Korn Ferry title
Spencer Levin was all the rage a decade and a half ago. After three wins on the Canadian Tour (now PGA Tour Canada) Levin graduated for a time to the PGA Tour. He reached a playoff at Mayakoba in 2011, but came up short in extra time. Over the next dozen years, the term grinder saw Levin’s picture added in every dictionary in the world. Levin never gave up on his dream of playing and winning in professional golf.
He came to Texas for the Monday qualifier, and briefly considered withdrawing. He soldiered on, earned a spot in the field for the week, and survived the cut with 66-68. Levin entered the final round six shots behind the leader, Brad Drewitt, who showed no sign of easing back on the accelerator. Sunday was a different game. Drewitt had zero birdies, a bogey, and a double through his first ten holes, to let a host of players back into contention. Levin was one of them. Through ten holes, the New Mexico alumnus had posted five birdies and made up eight shots on the leader. To his credit, Drewitt bounced back with birdies at 11, 12, 14, and 18. His bogey at 17 was the blow that knocked him down.
Levin added birdies at 11, 15, and 18, to sign for an eight-under par 63, the second-lowest round of the week. He emerged from the fracas one shot clear of Drewitt, with a long-awaited PGA-sanctioned victory.
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