NAPA, Calif. (AP) - Cameron Champ made a 3-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a one-stroke victory over Adam Hadwin on Sunday in the Safeway Open, finishing off an emotional week with his grandfather battling cancer.
Three strokes ahead entering the round, Champ had five birdies and overcame a bogey on No. 17 to hold off Hadwin for his second PGA Tour victory. Champ closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 17-under 271 at Silverado Resort.
Champ raised both arms then shared a long embrace with his caddie before breaking into tears as he hugged his father on the green. Champ’s grandfather, Mack, is fighting stomach cancer and is in hospice in Sacramento. Mack introduced Champ to golf at a young age.
Hadwin birdied the final three holes for a 67 to tie Champ at 16 under, then watched from nearby as Champ nearly chipped in for eagle on the par-5 18th before making the short birdie putt.
Marc Leishman (65) was third at 14 under. Justin Thomas (69), Charles Howell III (68) and Zac Blair (68) were 13 under.
Champ missed every fairway on the front nine but made several big second shots to stay in front. None was more impressive than after he drove into the far left rough on the par-5 fifth, pitched up and over a tall tree and onto the green 17 feet away and two-putted for birdie.
Champ bogeyed No. 8, but rebounded with a birdie on No. 9. He had a short chip-in for par on No. 11 after chunking his approach shot.
Champ’s only other tour victory came last October in Mississippi at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He hadn’t finished higher than sixth since, missing the cut 12 times.
LPGA TOUR
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Mi Jung Hur played bogey-free with the lead Sunday and never gave anyone a chance, closing with a 4-under 68 for a four-shot victory at the Indy Women in Tech Championship for her second LPGA Tour victory this year.
Hur opened with a 63 and went wire-to-wire for the first time in her career. The 29-year-old South Korean had 26 birdies for the week at Brickyard Crossing.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen birdied her last two holes for a 67 to finish alone in second, moving her from No. 70 to No. 44 in the Race to the CME Globe. Marina Alex finished third. She started two shots out of the lead but didn’t make birdie until the 16th hole.
EUROPEAN TOUR
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) - Victor Perez claimed his first European Tour title in his 29th appearance, closing with a 2-under 70 to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by one shot.
Perez, a 27-year-old rookie on the tour, narrowly missed his 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole. Par was good enough to see him become the first French winner of this tournament at 22-under 266.
Perez, who is based in Scotland and ranked No. 184, had previous rounds of 64-68-64. He graduated from the Challenge Tour last year.
Matthew Southgate of England closed with a 71 to finish alone in second.
Tommy Fleetwood shot 64 to tie for fifth, while Rory McIlroy had to settle for a 70 and tied for 26th.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) - Kirk Triplett won the Pure Insurance Championship for the third time Sunday at Pebble Beach, beating Billy Andrade with an 8-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff.
The 57-year-old Triplett also won the PGA Tour Champions event in 2012 and 2013. He has eight senior victories, also winning a playoff in March in the Hoag Classic down the coast in Newport Beach.
Playing four groups ahead of Andrade, Triplett birdied the 18th in regulation for a 5-under 67 and 9-under 206 total. Andrade also closed with a birdie, holing a 7-footer after hitting his second shot through the green.
The 55-year-old Andrade missed a 20-foot birdie try before Triplett holed the winning putt in the event that pairs tour players with juniors from The First Tee programs around the country.
Steve Flesch, the leader going into the final round, shot 41 on the back nine for a 75.
OTHER TOURS
American club pros won eight of 10 singles matches to rally from a 10-6 deficit and win the PGA Cup against Britain & Ireland club pros in Austin, Texas. … Lin Yuxin of China made birdie from the bunker on the second playoff hole Sunday to beat defending champion Takumi Kanaya and win the Asia-Pacific Amateur for the second time. Lin won the first playoff in the 11-year-history of the Asia-Pacific Amateur and joined Hideki Matsuyama as the only two-time winners. The victory gets Lin into the Masters and the British Open next year. … Marta Sanz Barrio closed with a 2-under 69 and held on for a one-shot victory in the IOA Golf Classic on the Symetra Tour. Mind Muangkhumsakul made bogey on the last hole for a 4-under 67 to finish one shot behind. The Symetra Tour has one week left in its season. … Toshinori Muto closed with a 7-under 64 for a four-shot victory over Shugo Imahira in the Panasonic Open. The tournament was co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour and the Asian Tour. Ryo Ishikawa finished third and remains atop the Japan Golf Tour money list. Jazz Janewattananond finished fourth and expanded his lead on the Asian Tour money list. … Lars van Meijel of the Netherlands played bogey-free for a 5-under 67 and a one-shot victory over Sebastian Heisele in the Hopps Open de Provence on the European Challenge Tour. … Carlota Ciganda of Spain won her first Ladies European Tour event on home soil with an even-par 71 for a one-shot victory over Esther Henseleit in the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open. … Shad Tuten closed with a 4-under 67 for a two-shot victory over Patrick Flavin and Patrick Newcomb in the Brazil Open on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica. … Merrick Bremner closed with a 5-under 67 for a five-shot victory in the Vodacom Orings of Golf Humewood on the Sunshine Tour. … Jose Coceres of Argentina closed with a 3-under 69 and withstood an early challenge from Paul Lawrie to win the Austrian Senior Open on the Staysure Tour in Europe. … Ayean Cho shot 3-under 68 and birdied the third playoff hole to win the Se Ri Pak Invitational on the Korean LPGA Tour over A Lim Kim and Hye Jin Choi. … Asuka Kashiwabra closed with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory in the Miyagi TV Cup Dunlop Women’s Open on the Japan LPGA Tour.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.