Arnold Palmer - A true Hero and Everyone's Friend

September 10, 1929 - September 25, 2016

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Denmark Wins the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf

Soren Kjeldsen and Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark won the ISPS HANDA
World Cup of Golf at Kington Heath GC in Melbourne by four shots

Denmark carried a four shot lead into the final day fourball at Kingston Heath. The Danish pairing of Thorbjorn Olesen and Soren Kjeldsen had produced some superb golf through the week to reach the top of the board, including a stunning second round of 60.

But the Danes had to fight hard through the closing round to secure the victory. Their lead was pegged back as the Chinese pairing of Wu Ashun and Li Haotong and the American duo of Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker applied the pressure.

Olesen and Kjeldsen struggled on the front nine and turned at level par for the round. The Chinese pairing of Li and Wu made their move and got within a stroke of the lead.

But Kjeldsen and Olesen kept it together and they reeled off five birdies in six holes at the start of the back nine to re-establish their dominance. They closed out the win to secure Denmark’s first World Cup victory.

Story also appeared in The Golf Monthly - UK

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Hero World Challenge - Bahamas December 2/4

Information and Tickets

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Franklin Templeton Shootout - December 8/10

Information and Tickets

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Pure Silk LPGA Classic - Bahamas January 28/31

Information and Tickets

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Mackenzie Hughes Wins 4 Man Playoff and RSM Classic

Rookie Wins it all at the RSM

Mackenzie Hughes won the 2016 RSM Classic. Wait, who?

The little-known rookie from Canada outlasted Camilo Villegas, Billy Horschel, Henrik Norlander and Blayne Barber in three playoff holes to snag his first PGA Tour victory. The playoff went into Monday after it was suspended on Sunday evening because of darkness.

Horschel was eliminated on Sunday night in the first playoff hole, but the other four golfers were tied after two. Then on the first hole on Monday, the par-3 17th at Sea Island, Hughes sank a long par putt for the big check and invite into the 2017 Masters.

Villegas had a chance to match Hughes' par and extend the playoff to a fourth hole, but he missed and the trophy belonged to Hughes. He's the first rookie to win wire-to-wire at a PGA Tour event in two decades.

"Standing there watch them all putt [on the final hole], I was way more nervous than when I was putting mine," Hughes told PGATour.com. "Because as each guy went down, it just became that much more real that it might happen."

This was just his ninth PGA Tour event ever. His best finish was a T13 at the Safeway Open a month ago. To say this was unexpected would be a wild understatement.

To think that Hughes would emerge even after shooting 61 on Thursday from amid this bunched-up group that finished at 17 under in regulation seemed far-fetched. But anything can happen in these playoffs, and Hughes is clearly a tough competitor.

Portions of this story appeared in the International.ca

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Charley Hull Wins First Tour Title at the CME Championship

Meet Charley Hull - CME Winner by 2 strokes

Sunday, the 2015 rookie captured her first title on Tour at the CME Group Tour Championship by holding off playing partner So Yeon Ryu to win by two-strokes.

Hull carded a final round bogey-free, 66 to finish the week at 19-under par and set a new Tournament scoring record.

The final title of the season was just one of many up for grabs at the season’s final event, where the Race to the CME Globe, Rolex Player of the Year, Vare Trophy and money title weren’t determined until Sunday’s final round.

The world number 29, who finished seventh at the Rio Olympics, had a bogey-free weekend, with 12 birdies and 24 pars in her final 36 holes and wins $500,000 in prize money.

It was Hull's second title since turning professional in 2013, having won the Lalla Meryem Cup on the Ladies European Tour in 2014

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Carlota Ciganda by 2 at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational

Carlota Ciganda - Wins with a 4-under 68 in the Final Round

Carlota Ciganda rallied to win the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational on Sunday for her second LPGA Tour victory in four starts.

The 26-year-old Spaniard shot a 4-under 68 at Club de Golf Mexico for a two-stroke victory over six players. She played the four par-5 holes in 5 under, making an eagle on No. 2 and birdies on 6, 11 and 17.

Ciganda won the LPGA KEB-Hana Bank Championship a month ago in South Korea for her first tour title. The former Arizona State player has five straight top 10 finishes.

"I am very happy to be here and to get my second victory," Ciganda said. "It's wonderful to play here in Mexico. I honestly don't have any words. I love the golf course, the people, it's an honor to be here. I've been playing really good all year long and to end this year with these two victories gives me a lot of confidence, I am very happy."

Ciganda won a year after finishing second Inbee Park on the tree-lined course.

"Last year, I was close," Ciganda said. "It was a shame not being able to win but it was still a good last day, so I had really good memories. Last week, I was back home just resting because I wanted to play here and to do so well, so I am really happy and thrilled that I was able to win."

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Pat Perez Wins the OHL Classic at Mayakoba by 2

Pat Perez Closes with a 4-under to Win the OHL Classic in Mexico

Pat Perez won the OHL Classic at Mayakoba on Sunday in his third start since returning from shoulder surgery. Perez closed with a 4-under 67 for a two-stroke victory over third-round leader Gary Woodland on the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon course.

Perez finished at 21-under 263. Perez shot a 62 on Saturday to pull within a stroke of Woodland. The 40-year-old former Arizona State player birdied five of the first eight holes and had a bogey on the par-4 12th. Perez had surgery on his shoulder in February.

He returned with a tie for 33rd in Malaysia, and tied for seventh last week in Las Vegas. Perez also won the 2009 Bob Hope Classic.

Woodland birdied the final two holes for a 70.

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Rod Pampling - Winner of the Shriners Childrens Open

It was his first Tour victory since 2006 when he won the Bay Hill Invitational and many thought Rod Pampling had forgotten how to win on the PGA Tour - they need only have witnessed his tenacity down the stretch of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Sunday.

He was battling himself, the course and the other players in his group. But the 47-year-old Australian found a way to minimize any self-inflicting wounds while coming up with enough clutch shots at TPC Summerlin to post a final-round 6-under-par 65 to win by two strokes.

“It’s awesome,” said Pampling, whose four-day total of 20-under 264 earned him $1,288,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points. “You know, you dream of it. It happened a couple of times, obviously a long time ago. But thankfully I can still remember those, and it’s exactly the same.

“It’s just an amazing feeling and it’s just what we work so hard for, and it was just nice to finish off with a bomb like that. It makes it even more special.”

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Shanshan Feng Wins Toto Japan LPGA Classic

Back to Back Wins for Shanshan Feng at the LPGA

Shanshan Feng broke away with three straight mid-round birdies and held on to win the TOTO Japan Classic on Sunday for her second straight victory. The 27-year-old Chinese star closed with 2-under 70 at the Taiheiyo Club’s tree-lined Minori Course for a one-stroke victory over South Korea’s Ha Na Jang.

After two-putting for birdie on the par-5 17th to take a two-stroke lead, Feng three-putted for bogey on the par-4 18th, holing the winner from 1 1/2 feet. She finished at 13-under 203 in cool conditions after winning a week ago in steamy Malaysia. She has six LPGA Tour victories.

Feng has finished no worse than a tie for fourth in her last six events. She started the run with the Olympic bronze medal in Rio, tied for fourth at Evian in France, opened the Asia trip at home in China with a fourth-place tie, was second behind Jang in Taiwan and tied for third in South Korea.

A stroke ahead of three players after parring the first eight holes, Feng stretched her advantage to four with the birdie spree. She started the run with an 8-foot putt on the par-5 ninth, made a 25-footer on the par-4 10th and a 6-footer on the par-4 11th.

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Cody Gribble Wins Sanderson Farms Championship

Cody Gribble - First PGA Tour Win at Sanderson Farms with 20-under

Cody Gribble won the 2016 Sanderson Farms Championship for his first PGA TOUR title. Gribble, playing in his second PGA Tour event, closed with a 7-under 65 for a four stroke victory under a week of perfect playing conditions.

With two birdies on the front nine, then birdies on 11, 13, 15, 16, and 17, Gribble secured his win at 20-under 268.

“This has been a wonderful week for the tournament. We've had a splendid golf course in pristine condition, and then we had marvelous weather all week long,” said Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Sanderson Farms. “In his second event, under that kind of pressure, to go out and shoot a 65 today is very impressive. I'm very pleased and proud that Cody is our champion this year. He is a fine young man.”

“We love having a young first-time winner, and Cody has always had a great reputation at Texas,” said Peter Marks, Century Club Charities president. “This tournament just keeps getting better because of Sanderson Farms' leadership. Mr. Sanderson just doesn't cut a check, he actually is very involved with the tournament, helping us with our ultimate goal of raising money for the kids. We expect to have a nice check to give to Batson's Children's Hospital, and we are very excited to have Cody as our champion.”

“This was an unbelievable experience, said Gribble. “From the hospitality, to the golf course, to the fans, I couldn't have asked for a better venue to win. I can't thank everybody enough for coming out. The southern hospitality, great food, great people all remind me of home.”

The Sanderson Farms Championship is the fourth of 43 events in the 2016-17 PGA TOUR season. The main benefactor is Friends of Children’s Hospital and the children who are treated at Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children, part of Children’s of Mississippi. The tournament also donates a portion of the proceeds to approximately 65 additional charities arounds the state. The total amount raised by the tournament will be announced in the coming weeks.

Courtesy of Sanderson Farms

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Shanshan Feng Wins Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia

Shsnshan Feng at 17-under at Sime Darby

Shanshan Feng won the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia on Sunday to cap a string of high finishes that started with an Olympic bronze medal.

The 27-year-old Chinese star beat Suzann Pettersen by three strokes at TPC Kuala Lumpur for her second victory in the event.

"Every time I come back here, it makes me feel like I'm at home," Feng said. "I'm really relaxed and I love everything, love the food, love the people."

She shot a 4-under 67 after finishing off a third-round 64 in the morning.

"Normally, I'm a pretty good ball-striker," Feng said. "They have some very tough greens here that we have to be more accurate, and I think that's good for me. And also, somehow, I always read the greens here very well. So this week, I made a lot of putts."

Feng has finished no worse than a tie for fourth in her last six events. After Rio, she tied for fourth at Evian in France, then opened the Asia Swing in China with a fourth-place tie at Reignwood, was second in Taiwan and tied for third in South Korea.

"I started to actually get my confidence back," said Feng, China's only major golf champion.

Feng has an even better run going at TPC Kuala Lumpur. She was second in 2013, won in 2014 and tied for second last year. She won for the fifth time on the LPGA Tour, ending a drought that dated to her 2014 victory.

"Can I actually join the membership here?" Feng said during the trophy ceremony. "I really love this golf course. Can we have like 10 LPGA events here on this course?"

Tied with Anna Nordqvist after the Swede's tap-in birdie on the par-4 13th, Feng regained the lead with a sweeping 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th. She added a downhill 15-footer on the par-3 15th, and had a three-stroke lead moments later when Nordqvist three-putted the 14th.

On Thursday, Feng made doubles bogeys on 14 and 15 in an opening 66. She birdied both holes in the third round. "It actually evened out," Feng said.

She finished at 17-under 267 and earned $270,000 — more than enough for victory celebration she's planning before tournament next week in Japan.

"I love Japanese food," Feng said. "I think I'm going to go for maybe — like normally I go to the second-most expensive meat — I'll go for the meat. What I'm going to do is I'm going to go for the most expensive meat next week."

Pettersen shot her second straight 66. The Norwegian with 15 tour victories bogeyed the 16th and birdied the last two. On Saturday, she had a double bogey on 15.

"I've had some stupid mistakes, probably like everyone else and giving away a lot of shots," Pettersen said. "Felt like yesterday I gave away a great chance of winning this."

Nordqvist had a 70, hitting into the water on the par-4 18th for a double bogey that dropped her into a tie for third with Amy Yang (69) at 12 under.

"Played so well this week," Nordqvist said. "Finishing with double was obviously not what I planned. I was in-between clubs on the last hole and it was kind of gusting out and we were going back and forth. Pretty poor decision there."

A stroke ahead of Nordqvist on Saturday when darkness stopped play, Feng returned to par the 18th and took a two-stroke lead into the final round when Nordqvist closed with a bogey.

Courtesy of partners at The Salt Lake Tribune

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23-under: Enough for Hideki Matsuyama to Win the HSBC

Hideki Matsuyama Wins at Sheshan International

Hideki Matsuyama waved to a cheering crowd from the top balcony of a corporate suite over the 18th green at Sheshan International, where moments earlier he finished up a thorough beating of a world-class field in the HSBC Champions.

He never felt higher. His game never felt better.

And the 24-year-old Japanese star can only hope that he's just getting started.

Matsuyama never gave anyone a chance Sunday, closing with a 6-under 66 for a seven-shot victory that made him the first Asian to win a World Golf Championships event since the series began in 1999.

And it was only fitting that he won at the event billed as “Asia's major.”

“He was brilliant,” said defending champion Russell Knox, who played in the last group and was along for the ride. “No weaknesses the last two days. He drove the ball well and far, and his iron play was very good. And he made it look very easy.”

The only trouble came when it no longer mattered. Matsuyama realized that one last birdie would give him 30 for the week, so he went for the green on the par-5 18th and his shot bounced out of a bush and tumbled into the water. No problem. He took his drop in the rough, hit wedge to 18 feet and made one last putt to extend a streak of playing the final 45 holes without a bogey.

“No special number,” he said of his goal to make 30 birdies. “I made 19 birdies the first few days, so then I was thinking, `Well, if I make 11 more, I can win.’ So that was kind of my goal was to get to 30 birdies.”

He really didn't need any of them.

Matsuyama finished at 23-under 265, one short of the tournament record that Dustin Johnson set three years ago. He won by seven over British Open champion Henrik Stenson (65) and Daniel Berger (69).

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Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Official Kick-Off for Shriners Hospitals for Children Open - The 2016 Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Inductees have been announced and the public is invited. For more info visit LasVegasGolfHOF.com.

For the fifth-consecutive year, the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Night of Induction is the first official event of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.

The 5 new inductees for 2016 are long drive legend Mike Dunaway (1955-2014), developer, benefactor and course owner Irwin Molasky, golf course superintendent and volunteer Bill Rohret and PGA TOUR player Dean Wilson.

The enshrinement will be on Friday, October 28, in the The Hill at TPC Summerlin. The public is invited to support their favorite inductee or the entire class. Tickets can be purchased at www.LasVegasGolfHOF.com.

“We at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open are honored to once again host the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Night of Induction. It is now a tradition during tournament week,” said Patrick Lindsey, Tournament Director for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

 “It is another worthy class of inductees who have done so much for the game of golf in this area. Part of our mission is to help promote golf in Las Vegas and this special event is a nice extension to our tournament.”

Class of 2016

Mike Dunaway (1955-2014) was the epitome oflong driving for show and earning dough for it. Dunaway, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 59, was one of the biggest of hitters and a cornerstone for the Long Drivers of America, which was created by fellow Las Vegas Golf Hall of Famer Art Sellinger.

Dunaway was the founder of the “350 Club”, created for guys who could hit it 350 yards in long drive competitions who traveled the country performing legendary exhibitions.

Dunaway was also the “swing model” for the original Callaway Golf Big Bertha driver as he worked directly with Ely Callaway on the creation of the club. Dunaway was introduced to Callaway by fellow Las Vegas Golf Hall of Famer Bill Walters.

Bill Rohret has been in the golf course business for more than 44 years, 27 of those with superintendent experience in Las Vegas. He got his start with fellow Las Vegas Golf Hall of Famer Jim Colbert as Rohret moved to Vegas from Iowa and spent his first 10 years working with the Colbert brand.

Rohret worked at many Vegas courses including Desert Rose, Stallion Mountain, Angel Park and The Legacy. In fact, even in retirement he’s still at it as he’s a spray technician at Highland Falls Golf Club.

He also was twice elected as the president of the Southern Nevada Golf Course Superintendent’s Association. He is also a dedicated volunteer for the Special Olympics as a past Southwest Section PGA of America Southern Nevada Chapter Person of the Year.

Irwin Molasky, along with his partners, developed Winterwood (now Desert Rose) and Stardust Country Club (now Las Vegas National) golf courses as well as the communities around the courses. He also helped bring the Las Vegas Country Club to prominence.

He also was on the ground floor in bringing the LPGA Championship to Las Vegas from 1961 to 1966 as well as the PGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions event in 1953. He was also a member of the Las Vegas Founders Club and a supporter of the UNLV golf program.

Molasky and his partners also built Sunrise Hospital. Molasky also helped create the UNLV Foundation and was a partner in Lorimar Productions, one of the top production companies in Hollywood with hits such as Dallas and Knots Landing.

Dean Wilson lived in Las Vegas for more than 10 years, enjoying most of his success on the PGA Tour during that time span. Wilson has earned more than $8.9 million on the PGA Tour and played in 262 Tour events with his lone victory coming at The International in Colorado in 2006. He also has two runner-up finishes.

Wilson helped make PGA Tour history in 2003 when he was paired with the LPGA’s Annika Sorenstam in the Bank of America Colonial. Sorenstam joined Babe Didrikson Zaharias (58 years earlier) as women who have competed on the PGA Tour.

About the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame:

The mission of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is to celebrate and bring awareness to players, administrators, benefactors, groups, instructors, teams, and other worthy golfers who have served the game of golf in Las Vegas in a positive and meaningful way; whether through performance on the course, volunteerism, financial support, promotion, or other dedicated service.

An additional aspect of the mission is to help reveal Las Vegas as a great golf destination and has done this by hosting international media at the home exhibit.

The museum-quality exhibit in the clubhouse of Las Vegas National Golf Club features an in-depth Las Vegas golf time line, historic photos, and a special area honoring the Las Vegas Founders Club that features the official trophies used by Las Vegas’ PGA Tour and Champions Tour events.

The museum is open and free to the public during regular Club hours. A 16-person committee made up of Las Vegas golf professionals, media, amateur association leaders, and Hall of Fame members, oversees the voting process. www.LasVegasGolfHOF.com

Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Inductees with Class Year: Frank Acker, 2014; Tommy Armour III, 2008; Craig Barlow, 2011; Charlie Baron, 2010; Jerry Belt, 1991; Voss Boreta, 2015; Jimmie Bullard, 2009; Helen Cannon, 2004; James Cashman, Jr., 1998; Barb Christensen, 2015; Clyde Cobb, 1991; James Colbert, 2002; Mike Davis, 2015; John Difloure, 2014; Eddie Draper, 2004; Eric Dutt, 2008; Brady Exber, 2006; Jerry Foltz, 2015; Edward Fryatt, 2009; Brenda Knott, 2013; Las Vegas Founders, 2004; Robert Gamez, 2002; Butch Harmon, 2006; Ernest Haupt, 1998; Charley Hoffman, 2012; Richard Huff, 2004; Laurie Johnson, 2011; Joe Kelly, 2010; Dwaine Knight, 2009; Stephanie Louden, 2015; Bob May, 2013; Don "Mac" McCoy, 2012; Ryan Moore, 2012; Ray Norvel, 2013; Doug Pool, 2015; Louis Redden, 2008; Stuart Reid, 1991; Chris Riley, 2004; Jerry Roberts, 2008; Art Sellinger, 2011; Jack Sheehan, 2009; Tom Storey, 2006; Charlie Teel, 1991; Tournament of Champions, 2010; 1997-98 UNLV Golf Team, 2002; Valley View Golf Club, 2012; C. Pat Walker, 1998. Bill Walters, 2013.

About the 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open:

The 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open brings the FedExCup to Las Vegas as the PGA TOUR returns to the Las Vegas valley for the 34th consecutive year.

Many of the top golfers in the world will participate in the competition and help support the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children® from Oct. 31 – Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. For more information, visit shrinershospitalsopen.com.

About the PGA TOUR:

The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China.

The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.

Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to more than 1 billion households in 227 countries and territories in 30 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving.

In 2015, tournaments across all Tours generated a record $160 million for local and national charitable organizations, bringing the all-time total to $2.3 billion.

The PGA TOUR's website is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

# # # # #

For More Information about the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open: 
Kirvin Doak Communications 
702.737.3100 
shco@kirvindoak.com

For More Information about the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame: 
Brian Hurlburt 
702.497.3003 
bhurlburt5@gmail.com

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18-under by Brendan Steele Wins the Safeway Open

Brendan Steele was the 54-hole leader in Napa, California, at the Safeway Open last year, but a final-round 76 dropped him to T17.

On Sunday at the Silverado Country Club, he fired a 7-under 65 in the final round to charge from four back of Patton Kizzire for the win, finishing at 18 under. Steele closed his round with three straight birdies to earn the victory.

The 65 tied with three others for the low round of the afternoon on a soaked golf course that had seen delays on each of the final three days due to rain.

Steele did his damage Sunday on the greens in the final round, and he finished sixth in the field on the greens for the week.

The win is the second of Steele's career and first in five years with his other victory being at the 2011 Valero Texas Open.

That's as good a start to a season as one can ask for plus the $1,080,000 winners purse.

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Carlota Ciganda wins first LPGA title KEB Hana Bank Championship

Ciganda Wins Her First LPGA Title

After storming from five strokes back of Alison Lee to five ahead with six birdies in the first 10 holes, Carlota Ciganda played the final five holes at Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean course in Incheon, South Korea, four over par.

On the par-5 18th, both Ciganda and Lee made bogeyed when a par from either would have given her the title.

But on the first playoff hole, Ciganda, a 26-year-old from Spain who played college golf at Arizona State, made a birdie to notch her first LPGA win.

“It means the world me. It’s pretty nice to win here in Korea where women's golf is so big,” Ciganda said. “It’s been a long journey ~ But I love competing and playing and being an athlete. I couldn't ask for a better life.”

Ciganda, who played for Europe on the last two Solheim Cup teams, has won three times on the Ladies European Tour.

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Ha Na Jang Wins Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship

Ha Na Jang held off Shanshan Feng by a stroke in wind and rain on Sunday in the Fubon LPGA Taiwan Championship for her third victory of the year.

Eight strokes ahead of Feng after a birdie on the sixth hole, the 24-year-old South Korean player bogeyed two of the next three holes and scrambled to par the final nine for a 1-under 71.

Feng finished with a 66. The Chinese star chipped in for birdie from 35 feet on the par-4 15th to pull within two strokes, and nearly holed a bunker shot for eagle on the par-5 18th.

Jang then lagged her 15-foot birdie putt to inches, and danced on the green after tapping in.

"I was like nervous every hole," Jang said. "Shanshan really good play today. That's why I got very nervous. And then I'm just simple every hole because weather is just so bad. And then just keep going the fairway and the green."

She kept the celebration short after drawing criticism in South Korea for her flamboyant victory celebrations - a "Samurai Lasso" routine in Florida in February and a "Beyonce Single Ladies" dance in Singapore in March. Also, before the Singapore event, Jang's father dropped a hard-case suitcase that tumbled down an airport escalator and injured rival player In Gee Chun.

"After Singapore's not really good happening. That's why little, small dancing," Jang said. "Yesterday my agent and all the people text me say just try small celebration. Please just you try it. That's why I got try a little more small one. But I think it's really good. Celebration is a little small, but looks like a little bigger. It's like dancing like, 'I like it. I like it.' Like that. So happy."

Jang finished at 17-under 271. She set up some key par saves with sharp play around the greens, hitting to inches on 14 after striking the pin, to a foot on 15 after Feng holed out, and to 2 feet on 16 and 17.

"Really solid chipping," Jang said. "My chipping is pretty good first time my life. That's why every par is good score, because raining so bad. So that's these why every hole is par. ... My first win weather is rainy, exactly same. I like it raining on the golf course."

Canada's Brooke Henderson birdied the last two holes for a 70 to tie for third with South Korea's Hyo Joo Kim (69) at 10 under. Taiwan's Candie Kung (69), South Africa's Lee-Anne Pace (71) and South Korea's Hee Young Park (72) were another stroke back.

Jang shot a 62 on Saturday to take a six-stroke lead over Feng into the final round. The 62 was the lowest score in her LPGA Tour career and matched the best round in the three years at Miramar.

The South Korean player earned $300,000 to jump from 12th to seventh in the money list with $1,199,719. She's projected to go from 12th to eighth in the world ranking.

Feng had her third straight top-four finish. The Olympic bronze medalist was fourth in the Evian Championship and tied for fourth last week in China in the Asian Swing opener.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 70 to tie for 20th at 3 under. She won by nine strokes last year at Miramar. The tour will be in South Korea next week, then visit China, Malaysia and Japan.

Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.

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Ryder Cup - It's the U.S.A. all the Way

2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Team

Ryan Moore was the last player to gain a spot on the teams for the 41st Ryder Cup. On Sunday, exactly a week after he found out he had made the United States team, he was 2 down with three holes to play in his singles match against Lee Westwood when two of his teammates, Patrick Reed and J. B. Holmes, showed up on the 16th hole in a show of support.

As Reed and Holmes looked on, Moore produced an eagle-birdie-par finish to hand Westwood a 1-up defeat and deliver the United States its 15th point, clinching the Americans’ first victory in the biennial event against a European team after back-to-back-to-back losses. 

It did not matter, Moore said, that he was making his Ryder Cup debut while Westwood was making his 10th appearance.

“I saw both of those guys,” Moore said, “and I said: ‘All right, I’m going to do it for my team. I’m going to try to flip this match somehow.’”

The Americans, who had lost eight of the previous 10 Ryder Cups, flipped their fortunes in the competition one man and one match at a time. Playing for one another, the United States turned a 3-point lead at Saturday’s close into a 17-11 victory, its first against Europe since 2008 and only its third in the past 11 years.

Patrick Reed, whose fiery demeanor and first-rate play earned him the nickname Captain America, gained the first point for the United States in Sunday’s singles matches with a 1-up victory against Rory McIlroy in a showdown of showmen that featured exquisite shotmaking, fist-bump exchanges and a warm embrace when it was over.

By sundown, every United States player had earned at least a point during the three-day event. The last time that happened was in 1975, when an American team captained by Arnold Palmer dominated a squad from Britain and Ireland. 

It was the perfect tribute to Palmer, who died five days before this year’s competition got underway at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

The United States captain, Davis Love III, whose 2012 squad squandered a 4-point lead and lost on the final day at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago, said he was proud of how his players competed in the face of immense pressure. “But mostly, proud of the way they came together as family and supported each other,” Love said.

Brandt Snedeker, a player on that losing squad in 2012, said this team was closer. “I think this week the underlying theme was everybody had your back,” he said.

Snedeker was the only American to go unbeaten. He said he could not have finished 3-0-0 if not for the support of Bubba Watson, who helped him get past his singles opponent, Andy Sullivan, by 3 and 1.

Watson walked with Snedeker during the match on Sunday and kept him loose and in a positive frame of mind after Snedeker fell two holes behind after three holes.

Watson, the seventh-ranked golfer in the world, was not playing because he had been bypassed for the 12th and final team berth in favor of Moore. Desiring to be included in the event, Watson volunteered to serve as part cheerleader, part errand boy for Love’s team.

“I don’t know if I could have done it without him out there,” Snedeker said of Watson, one of the American team’s five vice captains.

In truth, Love had six assistants, because everyone included Phil Mickelson — who, at 46, qualified for his 11th Ryder Cup — as part of the captain’s coterie. Perhaps no one, including Love, came into this competition with more pressure on his shoulders than Mickelson, who had spoken out against the status quo in the news conference after the Americans’ 16½-11½ loss in Scotland in 2014.

Mickelson criticized the leadership style of that year’s captain, Tom Watson, who was seated a few feet away. His one-man insurrection led to an overhaul of the system for selecting the players and the captain. 

The players, past and present, got more input, and a more collaborative process was put in place. One of the changes instituted paved the way for the last-minute selection of Moore.

Mickelson’s contributions to the victory ended with his 2-1-1 record but started with that news conference in 2014. At Sunday’s post-victory question-and-answer session, the first question was for Mickelson. 

He was asked what he thought of Love’s leadership. Mickelson laughed along with everyone else on the dais.

“We had a great week this week,” he said. “We had a lot of fun together as a team, and we played some great golf, and we are really excited to have won.”

When he was finished, Mickelson’s teammates and their support crew applauded him.

But the Americans finished strong. Led by Moore and Snedeker, they won five of the last six matches while Mickelson sat with his wife, Amy, behind the 18th green soaking up the scene.

Portions of this article appeared in the NYT

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In-Kyung KIM Wins the Reignwood LPGA Classic

Meet In-Kyung Kim, Winner of the Reignwood LPGA Classic 2016 in China

In-Kyung Kim won the Reignwood LPGA Classic in Beijing for her first LPGA Tour victory in six years, making a late eagle and a birdie to lead a South Korean sweep of the top three places.

The 28-year-old Kim shot a seven-under 66 at Reignwood Pine Valley, holing a 25-foot eagle putt on the 16th and a 12-footer for birdie on the 18th for her fourth tour title. Kim finished at 24-under 268.

She made the eagle on 16 and birdied 6, 12 and 18 and also birdied the par-4 15th in her late run.

"I feel good that I was able to play how I wanted to play. Even the result, I really try not to focus on result so much," Kim said.

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