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Saturday, April 20, 2024

Late birdies carry Kim to PGA victory

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Los Angeles—South Korean Kim Si-woo rolled in back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 to overtake sizzling Patrick Cantlay and win the US PGA Tour event in La Quinta, California, by one stroke.

Kim, who started the day sharing a one-shot lead with Max Homa and Tony Finau, fired eight birdies in an eight-under-par 64 for a 23-under total of 265.

Cantlay had stormed to a narrow clubhouse lead with 11 birdies in an 11-under par 61—a course record on the Stadium Course at PGA West and enough to put him one ahead of Kim as the South Korean was coming up the finishing straight.

Kim regained a share of the lead with his seventh birdie of the day at the par-five 16th, where he reached the green in two and two-putted from 50 feet—leaving himself less than four feet for birdie.

At 17, Kim poured a 19-foot birdie putt into the heart of the cup to regain the lead.

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The 25-year-old from Seoul notched his third US PGA Tour title, but his first since the 2017 Players Championship.

Meanwhile, Jessica Korda rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole to win the LPGA Tournament of Champions Sunday, rallying from two shots down to beat Danielle Kang.

Korda, who fired a third-round 60 on Saturday to put herself within striking distance of overnight leader Kang, fired a five-under-par final round of 66 for a 24-under total of 260 at the Four Seasons Golf & Sports Club in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Kang, who led by three strokes at the turn, closed with a three-under-par 68.

In Abu Dhabi, Tyrrell Hatton outshone world number six Rory McIlroy in a head-to-head battle Sunday to claim the $8 million Abu Dhabi Championship by a whopping four shots.

The 29-year-old Englishman started the final round one shot behind McIlroy but shot a fine bogey-free six-under-par 66 to finish on 18-under par 270 for the tournament.

Australian Jason Scrivener, who closed in stunning fashion with an eagle and five birdies on his back nine in a round of 66, finished in second place.

McIlroy (72) made a birdie on the par-5 18th hole to finish in third at a 13-under par 275, with Spaniard Rafa Cabrera-Bello (69) in fourth with a 12-under par 276.

Winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour last year, it was the fourth Rolex Series win for Hatton and he is expected to climb to number six in the world rankings on Monday. 

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