STRAFFAN, Ireland (AP) — Rory McIlroy couldn’t have asked for a better homecoming. He holed a 28-foot eagle putt on the 72nd hole Sunday for a 6-under 66, and it got him into a playoff that he won against Joakim Lagergren in the Irish Open.
McIlroy won for the fourth time this year, following victories at Pebble Beach, The Players Championship and the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam.
McIlroy and Lagergren, who also closed with a 66, match birdies on the par-5 18th at The K Club in the playoff. The Swede found the water with his approach on the third extra hole, allowing McIlroy to two-putt for birdie and the win.
It was the second time McIlroy won the Irish Open, the other occasion in 2016 at The K Club.
U.S. Golf Association
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The Americans seized control in the sunshine and kept right on rolling through the fog at Cypress Point, eliminating any drama in beating Great Britain & Ireland for their fifth consecutive victory in the Walker Cup.
Staked to a one-point lead, the Americans delivered a record performance in singles by winning eight of the 10 matches and halving another for a 17-9 victory.
U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell capped off his amazing summer by scratching out a halve with Connor Graham in a tight match of 18-year-olds, going 2-0-1 for the week.
Stewart Hagestad, the veteran of this U.S. team playing in his fifth Walker Cup, holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 15th for a 4-and-3 victory that assured the Americans keeping the cup, and Preston Stout secured an outright win when he held off Luke Poulter, 2 and 1.
The 8-1-1 Sunday singles was the best record by a Walker Cup team since it went to 10 matches in 2009.
PGA Tour Champions
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Thomas Bjorn made a 35-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with Cameron Percy to win the Stifel Charity Classic for his first individual victory on the PGA Tour Champions.
Bjorn closed with a 4-under 67 to match Percy — who birdied three of the last four holes in regulation for a 64 — at 12-under 201 at Norwood Hills Country Club.
The 54-year-old Bjorn won for the second time this year on the 50-and-over tour after teaming with Darren Clarke to take the American Family Insurance Championship in June in Madison, Wisconsin. The Dane won 15 times on the European Tour and captained Europe’s winning Ryder Cup team in the 2018 matches in France.
Percy, from Australia, missed a chance for his first senior victory.
Other tours
Nuria Iturrioz of Spain closed with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory over Charley Hull (69) and Carlota Ciganda (64) in the Aramco Houston Championship. It was her fourth career title on the Ladies European Tour. ... Taiga Nagano birdied three of his last six holes for a 2-under 68 to win the Fujisankei Classic by one shot, his first victory on the Japan Golf Tour. The tournament was shortened to 54 holes because of rain that washed out the second round. ... Hugo Townsend closed with a 1-under 69 for a two-shot victory in the GAC Rose Challenge Tour in Poland. It was the Swede’s first Challenge Tour victory. ... Austin Bautista rallied with an 8-under 62 to win the SunBet Challenge by one shot on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. ... Scott Hend closed with a 5-under 67 for a two-shot victory in the European Legends Cup on the Legends Tour ... Yuna Araki closed with a 4-under 68 for a one-shot victory in the Golf5 Ladies on the Japan LPGA, a tournament shortened to 36 holes. ... Hyunjo Yoo successfully defended her title in the KB Financial Group Star Championship with a 1-under 71 for a four-shot victory. Those are her only two titles on the Korea LPGA.
___
AP golf:
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation