Sunday golf: Jeeno Thitikul has $4M finish to win LPGA finale; Maverick McNealy wins first PGA Tour title

Posted by Admin November 25, 2024 Golf

Sunday golf: Jeeno Thitikul has M finish to win LPGA finale; Maverick McNealy wins first PGA Tour title

Naples, Fla. — Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand made up a two-shot deficit with two holes to play Sunday with an eagle-birdie finish for a 7-under 65, giving her a one-shot victory over Angel Yin and the $4 million prize — the richest in women’s golf — at the CME Group Tour Championship.

Yin had a two-shot lead walking to the 17th tee only to wind up settling for the $1 million check as runner-up after closing with a 66.

The win and the massive check came down to the 18th hole, Thitikul and Yin tied at 21-under par after the Thai’s key eagle. Yin hit her approach to 15 feet and narrowly missed her birdie try, leaving Thitikul to make her winner. It was the second straight day Thitikul finished eagle-birdie.

Lydia Ko closed with a 63 to finish third. Nelly Korda, who ends her season with seven wins, had a 66 and tied for fifth.

PGA Tour

St. Simons Island, Ga. — Maverick McNealy finally became a winner on the final tournament of his fifth year on the PGA Tour, hitting 6-iron to 5 feet for birdie on the 18th hole at Sea Island for a 2-under 68 and a one-shot victory in the RSM Classic.

The victory came in his 134th start as a pro, and it sends him to Maui to start the year at The Sentry and to the Masters in April for the first time.

Daniel Berger missed a 20-foot birdie attempt on the 18th that preceded McNealy’s winner. He tied for second with Nico Echavarria and Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton, both of whom missed par putts from inside 8 feet on the final hole that created the four-way tie.

Berger got a small consolation prize, moving inside the top 125 to keep a full PGA Tour card for 2025 when the fields will be smaller and only the top 100 will keep cards. Henrik Norlander also moved into the top 125, while Joel Dahmen shot 64 to help him stay at No. 124.

European tour and PGA Tour of Australia

Brisbane, Australia — Elvis Smylie closed with a 4-under 67 to win the Australian PGA Championship on Sunday by two shots over former mentor Cameron Smith.

Smylie built a three-shot lead at the turn and held on to finish at 14-under 199 in a tournament reduced to 54 holes when rained washed out Friday’s play. Smith, who fell behind with a bogey on the par-5 ninth hole, shot 69.

It was the second straight week Smith had at least a share of the lead going into the final round and failed to win.

Marc Leishman and Anthony Quayle finished three back in a tie for third.

Smylie, the son of former Australian tennis pro Liz Smylie. won the Cameron Smith Scholarship five years ago that allowed him to spend a week at Smith’s Florida home to learn to live and practice as a PGA Tour professional. He now gets a full card on the European tour, which co-sanctioned the event.

Other tours

Patrick Reed won for the first time in nearly four years, closing with a 4-under 66 to win the Hong Kong Open by three shots on the Asian Tour. Reed shot a 59 in the third round. His last victory was the Farmers Insurance Open in January 2021. He has not won in his three years in the LIV Golf League. … Hiroshi Iwata made five birdies on the back nine and closed with a 4-under 68 for a one-shot victory over Taisei Shimizu, his seventh career title on the Japan Golf Tour. … Pieter Moolman closed with a 5-under 67 for a one-shot victory in the PGA Championship on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. … Shiho Kuwaki shot even-par 72 to claim a one-shot victory over Sakura Koiwai in the season-ending JLPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup on the Japan LPGA.