Another weekend is in the books, as we move one week closer to the Open Championship. The first finish on Sunday was the most thrilling, as Russell Knox drained two long birdie putts on No. 18 – first in regulation, then in a playoff – to edge Ryan Fox for the DDF Irish Open.
The final two events were far less dramatic as Kevin Na won at The Greenbrier by five shots, while Korean star Sei Young Kim put on a record-setting performance in Green Bay to capture the title at the Thornberry Creek LPGA by nine shots.
Here’s a roundup:
EUROPEAN TOUR
RUSSELL KNOX WINS IRISH OPEN WITH TWO CLUTCH BIRDIES
Russell Knox made two long-bomb birdie putts on hole No. 18 at Ballyliffin Golf Club – first on the 72nd hole, then in a playoff, to win the 2018 DDF Irish Open in thrilling fashion.
With 54-hole leader Erik Van Rooyen struggling to a 2-over par 74, New Zealander Ryan Fox appeared to be in the driver’s seat at 14-under par through 17 holes. But Knox had other plans, as the 33-year old Scot drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th and final hole to card a 66 and match Fox at 14-under par. After the New Zealander missed a 10-foot birdie putt of his own on 18, it was on to overtime in Ballyliffin, Donegal, Ireland.
Once again Fox seemed to have a clear advantage on the first sudden-death hole (No. 18) as he striped a drive dead-straight down the fairway, while Knox’s poor tee shot found the rough to the right. Hitting his approach from a tough lie and bad angle, Knox did well to find the green, but still left his ball about 40 feet away from the hole, in almost the identical spot it had lied in regulation.
Knox surely wouldn’t do it again, right?
Wrong. He drained it once again, and after Fox missed another makeable 12-foot birdie putt, the trophy was Knox’s to raise.
FINAL TOP 5 AT BALLYLIFFIN
POS-PLAYER-SCORE(FINAL RD)
1. Russell Knox -14 (-6)
2. Ryan Fox -14 (-4)
3. Jorge Campillo -13 (-7)
4. Jon Rahm -12 (-6)
4. Erik van Rooyen -12 (+2)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $1,166,000 (Knox)
2nd – $777,770 (Fox)
3rd – $438,200 (Campillo)
4th – $323,400 (Rahm)
4th – $323,400 (Van Rooyen)
RUSSELL KNOX’S STATS
Cumulative through 72 holes
Driving: 305.4 yards (18th)
Fairways Hit: 30/56, 53.3% (19th)
Greens Hit: 56/72, 77.8% (1st)
Par-3: -1 (1 Birdie, 11 Pars)
Par-4: -7 (12 Birdies, 31 Pars, 5 Bogeys)
Par-5: -6 (2 Eagles, 3 Birdies, 6 Pars, 1 Bogey)
All 72: -14 (2 Eagles, 16 Birdies, 48 Pars, 6 Bogeys)
PGA TOUR
KEVIN NA BREAKS DROUGHT WITH WIN AT THE GREENBRIER
Kevin Na fired a final-round 64 at the Old White TPC Course to win A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier by five strokes.
Na entered Sunday just one back of co-leaders Kelly Kraft and Harold Varner III, but after a six-birdie binge on hole Nos. 4-10, the 34-year old Korean-American pulled ahead and never looked back. Na signed for a four-day score of 19-under par, five shots clear of Kraft who carded a final-day 70.
The win was Na’s second career PGA Tour victory, but first since he raised the trophy at the 2011 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
FINAL TOP 5
POS-PLAYER-SCORE(FINAL RD)
1. Kevin Na -19 (-6)
2. Kelly Kraft -14 (E)
3. Brandt Snedeker -13 (-6)
3. Jason Kokrak -13 (-3)
5. Austin Cook -12 (-4)
5. Harold Varner III -12 (+2)
5. Joaquin Niemann -12 (-5)
5. Joel Dahmen -12 (-1)
5. Sam Saunders -12 (E)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $1,314,000 (Na)
2nd – $788,400 (Kraft)
3rd – $423,400 (Snedeker)
3rd – $423,400 (Kokrak)
5th – $247,470 (Five Players)
KEVIN NA’S STATS
Cumulative through 72 holes
Driving: 323.2 yards (18th)
Fairways Hit: 38/56, 67.9% (32nd)
Greens Hit: 53/72, 73.6% (34th)
Par-3: +1 (1 Birdie, 10 Pars, 2 Bogeys)
Par-4: -15 (19 Birdies, 25 Pars, 4 Bogeys)
Par-5: -5 (1 Eagle, 3 Birdies, 5 Pars)
All 72: -19 (1 Eagle, 23 Birdies, 50 Pars, 6 Bogeys)
LPGA TOUR
SEI YOUNG KIM SHATTERS RECORDS EN ROUTE TO THORNBERRY CREEK VICTORY
Sei Young Kim fired a final-round 65 to claim victory at the 2018 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic with a record-shattering score of 31 under par.
The 25-year old Korean, who led after 36 and 54 holes, finished her final day in Green Bay bogey-free with seven birdies. It was Kim’s third mistake-free round of the tournament.
FINAL TOP 5
POS-PLAYER-FINAL SCORE (FINAL RD)
1. Sei Young Kim -31 (-7)
2. Carlota Ciganda -22 (-8)
3. Emma Talley -20 (-5)
3. Anna Nordqvist -20 (-5)
3. Amy Yang -20 (-4)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $300,000 (Kim)
2nd – $182,538 (Ciganda)
3rd – $105,768 (Talley)
3rd – $105,768 (Nordqvist)
3rd – $105,768 (Yang)
SEI YOUNG KIM’S STATS
Cumulative through 72 holes
Driving: 274.9 yards
Fairways Hit: 43/56, 76.7%
Greens Hit: 67/72, 93.0%
Par-3: -1 (3 Birdies, 12 Pars, 1 Double Bogey)
Par-4: -16 (16 Birdies, 24 Pars)
Par-5: -14 (1 Eagle, 12 Birdies, 3 Pars)
All 72: -31 (1 Eagle, 31 Birdies, 39 Pars, 1 Double Bogey)
