ON THE LINKS | Sunday’s pro golf roundup
SONY OPEN
HONOLULU
Patton Kizzire outlasted James Hahn in six extra holes to win the Sony Open to become the first multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season. Kizzire, who won the OHL Classic in Mexico last fall, closed with a 2-under 68. That turned out to be the easy part. James Hahn shot 62 in the final round Sunday and got into a playoff with Kizzire at 17-under 263. They matched two pars and two birdies on the par-5 18th. They matched pars when they went to the par-3 17th. It ended on the par 3 along the Pacific Ocean when Hahn putted from right of the green to about 8 feet, and his par putt caught the lip.
DIAMOND RESORTS INVITATIONAL
ORLANDO, FLA.
Scott Parel beat fellow PGA Tour Champions player Scott Dunlap on the first hole of a playoff to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the Diamond Resorts Invitational. The 52-year-old Parel won the 32-player professional division with a par on the extra hole, the 203-yard 18th at Tranquilo Golf Club. Dunlap hit a fat shot short into water and made a double bogey. In regulation, Dunlap made an 8-foot birdie putt for three points, and Parel failed to get up-and-down and made a bogey to fall into the playoff. Unable to play a practice round before the event because of the flu, Parel earned $125,000.
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN
JOHANNESBURG
With his wife as his caddie, Chris Paisley beat the challenge of home favorite Branden Grace to win the South African Open by three shots and claim a first European Tour title. Ahead by one overnight, Paisley increased the gap at the top with a final-round 6-under-par 66 at Glendower Golf Club in Johannesburg to finish 21 under overall. The Englishman made six birdies and didn’t drop a shot in a flawless finish on the way to his breakthrough win on the tour. Grace, an eight-time European Tour winner, started with a birdie and an eagle and held the lead briefly before his challenge faded after a double-bogey on No. 6 and a bogey on No. 12. He finished strongly, with an eagle and two birdies in his last six holes to card a 68 for 18 under. The 31-year-old Paisley, with wife Keri carrying his bag for the first time, kept his nerve during Grace’s early charge and kept the title in English hands after Graeme Storm won last year.
EURASIA CUP
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
Europe retained the EurAsia Cup after putting on a sensational showing on the final day to tame Asia 14 to 10, courtesy of eight wins in the 12 singles matches. Asia had led by a slim margin coming into the individual play, but they were soundly beaten by the Europeans, who are using the match play tournament as a dress rehearsal for the Ryder Cup later this year. Alex Noren got the ball rolling with a 4 and 2 win over Nicholas Fung, before Rafa Cabrera-Bello gave Europe the lead when he beat Gavin Green 4 and 3. Tommy Fleetwood was next to put a point on the board with a 2 and 1 win over S.S.P Chawrasia. Poom Saksansin gave Asia their solitary point of the day when he overcame Paul Casey by 1 up. But Henrik Stenson, the highest ranked golfer in the field at No. 9, resumed Europe’s dominance with a 2 and 1 triumph over Hideto Tanihara. Bernd Wiesberger then triumphed over Phachara Khongwatmai 2 and 1 in a high quality duel of golf.
Associated Press