Els snaps PGA drought with Honda Classic win

ASSOCIATED PRESS

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — This time, Ernie Els could enjoy someone else’s final-round misfortune.

Ending nearly a four-year drought between PGA Tour victories, Els shot a 3-under 67 Sunday to win The Honda Classic. He finished at 6 under, one shot better than Luke Donald (71) and two ahead of Nathan Green (67).

Els and Mark Calcavecchia were tied for the lead as the sun began setting on PGA National. But Calcavecchia hit into a greenside bunker at the par-3 15th, and his shot from the sand looked fine when it hit the green.

Somehow, it never stopped rolling. The ball came to rest on a rock ledge across the green. Calcavecchia walked over, tossed the ball into the water and made a double bogey to give Els the outright lead. Els parred the par-5 18th, then waited to see if anyone would match his score.

No one did, although Donald had a chance on the last. His birdie chip from just off the green stopped a couple feet shy of the cup, sealing Els’ win.

HSBC Women’s Champions

SINGAPORE — Lorena Ochoa completed a runaway victory in her first tournament of the year, closing with a 4-under 68 to leave Annika Sorenstam 11 strokes behind.

Ochoa finished at 20-under 268 on Tanah Merah’s Garden Course. She earned $300,000 for her 18th career LPGA Tour victory.

Sorenstam shot a 71 in the rainy afternoon conditions for her third straight top-four finish.

Johnnie Walker Classic

GURGAON, India — New Zealander Mark Brown’s decision to return to golf after temporary retirement paid off again with a three-stroke victory, his second straight in India.

Brown closed with a 5-under 67 to finish at 18-under 270. Last week, he won the Asian Tour’s SAIL Open. Australians Scott Strange (67) and Greg Chalmers (68) and Japan’s Taichiro Kiyota (71) tied for second.