Another fantastic weekend of professional golf is in the books, and before we move on to the season’s final major, let’s take one last look at the weekend’s winners.
It got started with Gaganjeet Bhullar’s maiden win at the European Tour’s opposite field event in Fiji and ended with Andrew Putnam’s first Tour title at the PGA Tour’s opposite field event in Reno Nevada.
In between, Georgia Hall rallied to win her first career LPGA title – and on home soil – at the British Women’s Open. Meanwhile Kentucky natives Justin Thomas and Kenny Perry claimed victory at the finale of two long time events on their respective tours. (Ironically, Bridgestone/Firestone will now become a sponsor/host for Kenny Perry’s tour (Champions), while 3M/TPC Twin Cities will play host to PGA Tour stars such as Thomas.)
Here’s a roundup:
WGC SERIES
THOMAS CRUISES TO BLOWOUT WIN AT WGC-BRIDGESTONE FINALE
Following a pedestrian four months of play, where he notched just one top 10 in eight events, reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Justin Thomas was facing questions about the state of his game going into the PGA Championship, where he happens to be the defending champion.
On Sunday, Thomas answered those questions as resoundingly as he could: by blowing out the field at the tournament the week prior to his championship defense.
With a 1-under 69, Thomas came out on top of the very last WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and was challenged little from the field in a four-shot romp over Kyle Stanley.
FINAL TOP 5
POS-PLAYER-TO PAR (TODAY)
1. Justin Thomas -15 (-1)
2. Kyle Stanley -11 (-2)
3. Thorbjorn Olesen -10 (-6)
3. Dustin Johnson -10 (-6)
5. Brooks Koepka -9 (-3)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $1,700,000 (Thomas)
2nd – $1,072,000 (Stanley)
3rd – $510,000 (Olesen)
3rd – $510,000 (Johnson)
5th – $357,000 (Koepka)
PGA TOUR
PUTNAM WINS MAIDEN TOUR TITLE AT BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP
Andrew Putnam scored nine points on Sunday at Montreux Golf & Country Club to claim victory at the Barracuda Championship by four points over Chad Campbell.
Entering the day with a three-point lead, Putnam mixed a bogey with three birdies in his opening nine to turn with five points and extend his advantage.
Going home, and with his first PGA Tour title in sight, the 29-year old from Pepperdine played mistake-free, while adding two birdies to reach a four-day total of 47 points.
FINAL TOP 5
POS-PLAYER-SCORE(FINAL RD)
1. Andrew Putnam +47 (9)
2. Chad Campbell +43 (11)
3. John Oda +37 (8)
3. J.J. Spaun +37 (8)
5. Ollie Schniederjans +36 (10)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $612,000 (Putnam)
2nd – $367,200 (Campbell)
3rd – $197,200 (Oda)
3rd – $197,200 (Spaun)
5th – $136,000 (Schniederjans)
LPGA TOUR
GEORGIA HALL WINS RICOH WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
Georgia Hall shot a final-round 67 at Royal Lytham & St Annes to claim victory at the 2018 Ricoh Women’s British Open.
The win was triply sweet for the 22-year old Englishwoman, who not only secured her maiden LPGA title, she did so on home soil and in a major.
“I always joked that a major would be my first win. I can’t believe it really happened. I played well today; I putted great,” said Hall.
FINAL TOP 5
POS-PLAYER-TO PAR (TODAY)
1. Georgia Hall -17 (-5)
2. Pornanong Phatlum -15 (-2)
3. So Yeon Ryu -13 (-2)
4. Sei Young Kim -9 (-6)
4. Mamiko Higa -9 (+1)
4. Ariya Jutanugarn -9 (-3)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $490,000 (Hall)
2nd – $300,388 (Phatlum)
3rd – $217,910 (Ryu)
4th – $138,420 (Kim)
4th – $138,420 (Higa)
4th – $138,420 (Jutanugarn)
CHAMPIONS TOUR
KENNY PERRY WINS THIRD 3M CHAMPIONSHIP
Kenny Perry shot a final-round 69 at TPC Twin Cities to capture his third 3M Championship title.
Perry finished his final round in Blaine, Minnesota with two bogeys offset by five birdies, including three during a bogey-free final nine holes to clinch a three-shot win at 21-under par.
“I was very nervous today. You all witnessed — it’s hard to go out with a five-shot lead, to be the hunted instead of being the hunter,” said Perry. “It felt kind of odd out there. I didn’t want to give it away. I didn’t want to play too aggressive, I didn’t want to play too safe.”
FINAL TOP 5
POS-PLAYER-TO PAR (TODAY)
1. Kenny Perry -21 (-3)
2. Wes Short Jr. -18 (-9)
3. Glen Day -15 (-2)
3. Tom Gillis -15 (-5)
5. Kevin Sutherland -13 (-6)
5. Bob Estes -13 (-6)
5. Joe Durant -13 (-5)
5. Tim Petrovic -13 (-4)
5. Lee Janzen -13 (-3)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $262,500 (Perry)
2nd – $154,000 (Short Jr.)
3rd – $115,500 (Day)
3rd – $115,500 (Gillis)
5th – $64,400 (Sutherland)
5th – $64,400 (Estes)
5th – $64,400 (Durant)
5th – $64,400 (Janzen)
EUROPEAN TOUR
GAGANJEET BHULLAR WINS MAIDEN TOUR TITLE AT FIJI INTERNATIONAL
Gaganjeet Bhullar fired a 6-under 66 on Sunday to capture his maiden European Tour title at the 2018 Fiji International.
Bhullar entered Sunday’s finale holding a one-shot advantage at 8-under par, yet despite playing to 4-under par through 16 holes, the Indian found himself down one to Aussie Anthony Quayle, who’d set the early mark at 12-under par, following a sizzling final round of 63.
Bhullar, though, made a chip-in eagle on the par-5 17th to edge ahead and then held his nerve for a par on the 18th to clinch his first career Tour title.
FINAL TOP 5
POS-PLAYER-TO PAR (TODAY)
1. Gaganjeet Bhukkar -14 (-6)
2. Anthony Quayle -13 (-9)
3. Ernie Els -12 (-7)
3. Ben Campbell -12 (-6)
5. Jarryd Felton -10 (-3)
TOP 5 CASHERS
1st – $158,330 (Bhukkar)
2nd – $105,550 (Quayle)
3rd – $53,485 (Els)
3rd – $53,485 (Campbell)
5th – $40,280 (Felton)
COMPARING THE WINNERS
CASH PAYOUTS
1. $1,700,000 (Thomas)
2. $612,000 (Putnam)
3. $490,000 (Hall)
4. $262,500 (Perry)
5. $158,330 (Bhukkar)
DRIVING DISTANCE
1. 329.3 yards (Thomas)
2. 309.9 yards (Putnam)
3. 303.3 yards (Perry)
4. 289.5 yards (Bhukkar)
5. 252.4 yards (Hall)
FAIRWAYS HIT
1. 38/42, 90.5% (Perry)
2. 40/56, 80.4% (Putnam)
3. 41/54, 73.2% (Bhukkar)
4. 38/56, 67.9% (Hall)
5. 33/56, 58.9% (Thomas)
GREENS HIT
1. 44/54, 81.5% (Perry)
2. 54/72, 75.0% (Thomas)
3. 52/72, 72.2% (Hall)
4. 46/72, 63.9% (Putnam)
5. 43/72, 59.7% (Bhukkar)
