Henderson survives playoff to win Shoprite LPGA
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Brooke Henderson eagled the first playoff hole and beat Lindsey Weaver-wright to capture the Shoprite LPGA Classic on Sunday for her 11th win on the tour.
“I just was trying to go low and see what happens,” Henderson said. “I didn’t think — I mean, I thought the victory was a possibility, but there are a lot of really talented players ahead of me and I think I was four shots back starting the day. I knew it was going to take a little bit of magic, and I’m just really happy that I’m sitting here next to the trophy.”
Jaidee is seniors first Thai winner
Thongchai Jaidee became the first Thai winner in PGA Tour Champions history, closing with a 4-under 68 for a
one-stroke victory in the American Family Insurance Championship at Madison, Wisc.
A week after playing his way into the event with a 10th-place finish in Iowa, the 52-year-old
Thongchai won in his 19th start on the 50-andover tour.
“Very big thing for me,” Thongchai said.
Tom Pernice Jr. was second after a 66.
Miguel Angel Jimenez, tied for the second-round lead with Thongchai had a 70 to tie for third at 12 under with hometown favorite Jerry Kelly (67), Marco Dawson (67) and Kirk Triplett (68).
PGA chief slams new Saudi league
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan described the Saudi-funded league that has signed up Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Bryson Dechambeau as a “series of exhibition matches” that spends billions of dollars on players without getting a return on its investment.
Monahan also said players paid an exorbitant amount of money would “have to be living under a rock” to not know they would be criticized for the source of the money.
LIV Golf is backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
“I would ask any player that has left, or any player that would ever consider leaving, ‘Have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?’” Monahan said from Toronto on the CBS telecast of the RBC Canadian Open.
The LIV Golf Series has eight tournaments this year — five in the United States — with $25 million in prize money for each one, 54-hole events with no cut and 48-man fields.
Charl Schwartzel won the first one Saturday and earned $4.75 million.
European tour has female champ
Linn Grant made history by becoming the first female player to win an event on the European tour.
The 22-year-old Swede obliterated a field of both male and female golfers at the Scandinavian Mixed event, winning by nine strokes after an 8-under 64 in the final round at Halmstad Golf Club in Sweden.