ANCASTER, Ontario (AP) - Rory McIlroy ran away with the Canadian Open, closing with a 9-under 61 on Sunday for a seven-shot victory.
Starting the day in a three-way tie for the lead, McIlroy ended any suspense about who would emerge as the champion with five birdies in his first seven holes, none from longer than 8 feet.
It was McIlroy’s 16th PGA Tour victory and 25th win worldwide, and his fourth by at least seven shots. The world’s fourth-ranked player will hope to ride the momentum into next week’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
The only question on the back nine was whether McIlroy would shoot the 11th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history. He made four straight birdies from Nos. 11-14, and a bogey on the par-3 16th stalled him only momentarily. He followed with a 7-iron from 196 yards to 2½ feet for eagle on the par-5 17th to get to 10 under at par-70 Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
But he missed the green on the par-4 18th and his bunker shot went long. He ended up tapping in for bogey to finish at a tournament-record 22-under 258. The 61 equaled the low round of McIlroy’s PGA Tour career.
Shane Lowry and Webb Simpson tied for second at 15 under. Adam Hadwin of Canada and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland earned spots in the British Open at Royal Portrush as the only finishers inside the top 10 who were not already exempt. McDowell will get to play the British Open in his hometown.
LPGA TOUR
GALLOWAY, N.J. (AP) - Lexi Thompson made a 20-foot putt for eagle on the 18th hole to complete a late comeback and win the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
Trailing Jeongeun Lee6 by two strokes after the 15th, Thompson finished birdie-par-eagle to shoot a 4-under 67 and finish the 54-hole event at 12-under 201. It was her 11th career LPGA Tour victory, extending her streak to seven straight years with at least one win on the tour.
Lee6, the champion of last week’s U.S. Women’s Open who was playing two groups behind Thompson, lost her lead with three consecutive bogeys from Nos. 13 through 15 over the Bay Course at Seaview before bouncing back with a birdie at No. 16 to tie Thompson.
However, needing an eagle to force a playoff after reaching the green in two, she missed a 45-foot putt and settled for birdie.
Ally McDonald was third, three shots back.
WEB.COM TOUR
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) - Rhein Gibson closed with a bogey-free 8-under 63 to win the BMW Charity Pro-Am, which was shortened to 54 holes because of rain.
It was the first win on the Web.com tour for the 33-year-old Australian, who moved to seventh on the points list and locked up a PGA Tour card for next season.
He overcame a two-shot deficit after 36 holes to Michael Miller, who closed with a 68 and finished second.
“I wasn’t sure we’d get 54 holes in, but I wanted to go out there with the clean mindset that we’d get 54 in,” Gibson said. “I tried to keep the pedal down and try and make as many birdies as I can. Fortunately, I was able to win by three strokes. It sets me up for another stint on the PGA Tour, so I’m excited.”
Gibson has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for the lowest official round of golf ever recorded, a 16-under 55 in 2012 at River Oaks Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
CHIBA, Japan (AP) - Scott McCarron had three birdies on the back nine to pull away for a 5-under 67 and a three-shot victory in the MasterCard Japan Championship.
McCarron, who finished at 13-under 203 at Narita Golf Club, won for the third time this year to extend his lead in the Charles Schwab Cup. It was his fourth consecutive year of multiple victories.
“I’m doing everything I can to win the Charles Schwab Cup,” McCarron said. “To be able to do that, I’ve got to win as many tournaments as possible and so that’s what I’m trying to do. That’s my goal.”
Billy Andrade (68) and Kirk Triplett (69) tied for second.
Andrade’s birdie at No. 10 gave him a share of the lead with McCarron, but he dropped a shot on the 11th and never caught up. Instead, Andrade had to settle for his fifth top 10 on the season.
EUROPEAN TOUR
CASCAIS, Portugal (AP) - Phachara Khongwatmai hit his tee shot over a swimming pool to 3 feet in a closest-to-the-hole playoff to give Thailand the victory over England in the third GolfSixes Cascais event on the European Tour schedule.
Khongwatmai and Thongchai Jaidee were tied after six holes of the championship match with Tom Lewis and Paul Waring. It went to the unique playoff, with a pool just in front of the tee in a festive setting at Oitavos Dunes. His shot landed on the green, caught the slope and trickled to the hole.
Thailand earlier Saturday had defeated Scotland and Spain to reach the championship match Saturday.
OTHER TOURS
Perrine Delacour of France closed with a 5-under 67 for a two-shot victory over American Jillian Hollis in the Four Winds Invitational at Blackthorn GC in South Bend, Indiana. … Mikumu Horikawa closed with a 3-under 68 for a four-shot victory over Shugo Imahira in the JGTC Mori Building Cup on the Japan Golf Tour. … Ricardo Santos closed with a 6-under 65 for a one-shot victory in the Swiss Challenge on the European Challenge Tour, his first victory in seven years. Moritz Lampert of Germany and Richard Bland of England finished one behind. … Momoka Ueda finished off a six-shot victory with a 7-under 65 in the Yonex Ladies Golf Tournament on the Japan LPGA Tour. … Hye-jin Choi had a 6-under 66 for a one-shot victory in the S-Oil Championship on the Korean LPGA Tour. … Garrick Higgo closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-shot victory in the Sun City Challenge on the Sunshine Tour. It was Higgo’s second straight victory. He won three weeks ago on the Big Easy Tour, the developmental circuit in South Africa. … Former Ryder Cup player Peter Baker had a 5-under 67 for a five-shot victory over James Kingston in the inaugural Arras Open Senior Hauts de France on the Staysure Tour for European seniors.
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