TOUR WRAP:
Kirk, Howell III & Vu Enjoy Big Wins
PGA TOUR
The Honda Classic
Kirk Wins Honda Classic
America’s Chris Kirk won The Honda Classic in a playoff for his fifth PGA Tour title. The 37-year-old, who endured eight winless years, overcame PGA Tour rookie Eric Cole with a birdie at the first extra hole.
Kirk held a one-shot lead over Cole playing the 72nd hole before dunking his approach shot to the final hole in the greenside water hazard. His bogey sent both men to replay the 18th hole. At the first playoff hole, Kirk produced a tap in birdie when he stuffed his third shot at the par 5 from 108 feet to one foot from the cup. Cole lipped out his birdie attempt from 11 feet. Kirk carded a 1-under 69 final round to get to 14-under. Cole, ranked 330 in the world, scored a 3-under 67 to reach 14-under.
Tyler Duncan claimed outright third place at 12-under. The 33-year-old American produced s superb 4-under 66 on Sunday for his fifth career top 10 finish on the PGA Tour.
America’s Ryan Gerard took solo third place at his second ever PGA Tour outing. Gerard, who came through Monday qualifying to earn his start at PGA National, fired a 3-under final round to get to 10-under.
Defending champion Sepp Straka was one of five players with a share of fifth place. The 29-year-old was hoping to join Jack Nicklaus as the only golfers to go back-to-back at this event. Straka posted a final round 2-under to reach 9-under. Ben Martin, Ben Taylor, Justin Suh and Shale Lowry finished on the same number.
Cameron Percy was the best placed Australian. The 48-year-old tour veteran remained at 7-under after his even par final round. Percy finished in a tie for 12th place.
The PGA Tour remains in Florida for next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational to be staged at Bay Hill Club & Lodge Golf Club. Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion.
Final Scores
The Honda Classic
1. Chris Kirk -14
2. Eric Cole -14
3. Tyler Duncan -12
4. Ryan Gerard -10
T5. Ben Martin -9
T5. Sepp Straka -9
T5. Ben Taylor -9
T5. Justin Suh -9
T5. Shane Lowry -9
Australians
T12. Cameron Percy -7
T26. Min Woo Lee -4
T26. Harrison Endycott -4
T29. Brett Drewitt -3
80. Geoff Ogilvy +9
MC. Cam Davis
MC. Aaron Baddeley
MC. Greg Chalmers
Photo credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
LIV Golf TOUR
Mayakoba
Howell Wins Mayakoba
America’s Charles Howell III fired a sizzling 8-under 63 to score an emphatic four-shot victory at LIV Mayakoba. The 43-year-old American’s last win came at the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic in November 2018. Howell made five starts on LIV Golf Tor in 2022 with a best result of 8th at LIV Bangkok.
Howell was flawless on Sunday. His bogey free round included making seven birdies through his opening ten holes. Howell carded rounds of 68, 66 and 63 at El Camaleon Golf Course, Mexico to reach 16-under.
America’s Peter Uihlein took second place at 12-under after his final round 3-under 68 that included four birdies over the closing six holes. It was the third time the 33-year-old claimed a runner up performance at a LIV Golf event. Uihlein took second place at Chicago and Jeddah during 2022.
South Africa’s Branden Grace grabbed solo third place at 10-under after producing a 4-under 67 final round. Grace was searching for his second LIV title after winning Portland last year in the break-away tours second ever event.
Cam Smith was the best placed Australian. The 29-year-old posted a 4-under 67 to get to 6-under for sixth place.
The Crushers won the Teams event by nine shots with the group of Howell, Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri reaching 26-under.
The next LIV Golf Tour event is Tucson at The gallery Golf Club from March 18-20.
LPGA TOUR
Honda LPGA Thailand
Lilia Vu Scores Maiden LPGA Title
America’s Lilia Vu won for the first time in her LPGA Tour career at the Honda LPGA Thailand. The 25-year-old Californian produced a bogey-free 8-under 64 to reach 22-under. Vu, a three-time winner on the Symetra Tour in 2021, outlasted Thailand’s Natthakritta Vongtaveelap by one shot. Two-time LPGA Tour winner Atthaya Thitikul from Thailand was one shot further back at 20-under after her 4-under 68 final round.
Vu stared the final round six shots back and made a fast start with birdies at two of the opening three holes. Vu, who finished T3 or better three times last season, rattled off five consecutive birdies from holes 8 to 12 and made another birdie at the par 4, 15th hole to take a one-shot lead. Vu held on with closing pars.
Hannah Green and Minjee Lee were the only Australians in the limited field. Green carded a 3-under 69 final round to get to 7-under for a tie in 44th place. Lee shot an even par final round to remain on even par for the event and finish in 67th place.
The LPGA Tour moves to Singapore for next week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club.
