Simpson eases to Shriners win
Webb Simpson cruised to victory Sunday in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, pulling away for a six-stroke win in the second event of the PGA Tour’s new wraparound season.
Winning for the first time since the 2012 US Open, Simpson closed with a 5-under 66 at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. He finished at 24-under 260 after opening with rounds of 64, 63, and 67 to take a four-stroke lead into the final round.
‘‘As we were going kind of middle of the round, pins were tough, greens were drying out, and I knew it would take a really special round for somebody to shoot 7, 8 under,’’ Simpson said.
‘‘So, I felt like I was in control, and I asked my caddie, once I hit it on the green on 17, where we stood. And I was just thankful that I was able to kind of manage my golf ball the last couple rounds.’’
Ryo Ishikawa and Jason Bohn tied for second. Ishikawa shot a 65 and Bohn had a 66.
Charley Hoffman was fourth at 17 under after a 64.
Chesson Hadley, second entering the final round, had a 70 to drop into a tie for fifth at 16 under with Luke Guthrie, Troy Matteson, and Charles Howell III. Guthrie and Matteson shot 64, and Howell had a 65.
Matteson had seven straight birdies — on Nos. 9-15 — to fall one short of the tournament record set by Jerry Kelly in 2003.
LPGA — Amy Yang birdied the first playoff hole to beat South Korean compatriot Hee Kyung Seo and win the KEB HanaBank Championship in Incheon, South Korea, for her first career title.
Yang sealed the win with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole at the Ocean Course.
The 24-year-old Yang began the final round trailing leaders Katherine Hull-Kirk and Anna Nordqvist by one stroke. The South Korean surged into a tie for the lead after an eagle at the par-4 15th moved her to 8 under. Yang birdied the par-5 18th to force a playoff with Seo as both players finished at 9-under 207.
OneAsia — Kang Sung-hoon won the Korea Open in Cheonan, South Korea, which ended in a dispute after Kim Hyungtae was informed of a two-shot penalty when he led by one shot with two holes to play.
Kim, who started the final round with a four-shot lead, argued that he never grounded his club in a hazard area on the 13th hole. The OneAsia Tour said he discussed the violation with tournament officials for two hours. The Korean Golf Association voted 5-3 against him.
Kang closed with a 2-under 69 for a one-shot victory over Kim, Rory McIlroy (67), and two others.
Champions — Michael Allen won the Greater Hickory Classic for his second Champions Tour title of the year and fifth overall, beating Olin Browne with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.
Allen closed with a 5-under 65 to match Browne at 13-under 197 at Rock Barn in Conover, N.C. Browne shot a 64, charging to the lead with seven birdies over a nine-hole stretch.
European — Jin Jeong won the Perth International in Australia for his first professional victory, beating England’s Ross Fisher with a par on the first hole of a playoff. Jeong closed with a 3under 69 to match Fisher at 10under 278 at Lake Karrinyup. Fisher finished with a 68. Asian — Scott Hend won the Macau Open for his third Asian Tour victory of the year, closing with a 4-under 67 for a threestroke victory. Hend finished at 16 under. Ernie Els tied for third at 12 under with Elmer Salvador.