ROCESTER, England: Jon Rahm won LIV Golf UK on Sunday for his first victory on the Saudi-funded tour when Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton three-putted his final hole for a bogey.
Rahm closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 13 under at JCB Golf & Country Club, a stroke ahead of Hatton (69), season points leader Joaquin-Niemann (65) and defending champion Cameron-Smith (69).
“Finally got one done,” said Rahm, who has fought a foot problem this season. “You never want to get those feelings to go on for too long, and to get over the hump feels great incredible. It’s been a fantastic week and a fantastic year, and just relieved that it happened. … Feels like I got a lot of weight off my shoulders on that one.”
On the par-4 18th, Hatton hit a 75-foot putt to 5 feet and missed the par try to hand Rahm his first victory since the 2023 Masters. Rahm and Hatton led Legion XIII to the team title.
“Obviously, you always want to win,” Rahm said. “Selfishly, you always want to get that done. But you don’t want to see a teammate and a good friend missing a putt for that to happen for me. It’s a bit of an unusual situation that I don’t think any of us are used to.”
Rahm is one seven LIV players in the Olympics next week at Le Golf National outside Paris. The 29-year-old Spanish star joined LIV in December.
Hatton, the Nashville winner in June, played in the group behind Rahm.
“Still pretty raw for me as an individual,” Hatton said. “It’s kind of hard to put that to one the side. Golf is generally an individual sport.”
Jon Rahm wins LIV Golf UK
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Jon Rahm wins LIV Golf UK
- Rahm closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 13 under at JCB Golf & Country Club
- The 29-year-old Spanish is one seven LIV players in the Olympics next week at Le Golf National outside Paris
Kevin Yu birdies 18th twice and wins Sanderson Farms in playoff for first PGA Tour title
- Kevin Yu: I’ve been dreaming this moment since I was 5
- Yu hit his winning putt, a victory that sends him to the Masters and the PGA Championship for the first time
JACKSON, Mississippi: Kevin Yu made a 15-foot birdie on the 18th hole for a 5-under 67, and he birdied it again from 6 feet in a playoff to beat Beau Hossler and win the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title.
Yu was nearly forgotten for most of a final round that appeared to be a duel between Hossler and Keith Mitchell until the 26-year-old from Taiwan made a birdie to tie them for the lead.
Hossler pulled his drive on the 18th in regulation behind a tree, had to pitch out and hit his third shot to 4 feet to save par. Mitchell had a 35-foot birdie putt to win it and it grazed the left edge of the cup. But he missed the 4-foot comebacker for par, shot 70 and missed the playoff.
Mitchell tied for third with former US Open champion Lucas Glover, who played the last six holes in 5-under par — including pitching in for eagle on the par-4 15th — for a 66.
Hossler again was left off the tee on the 18th in the playoff. Yu hit first and sent his approach to 6 feet right of the hole. Hossler had to punch below the trees, and it turned too much and went into a front bunker. He blasted out to 2 feet to secure par.
Yu hit his winning putt, a victory that sends him to the Masters and the PGA Championship for the first time. He also will start his season at Kapalua for The Sentry, a gathering of PGA Tour winners in 2024.
“I’ve been dreaming this moment since I was 5,” Yu said. “This is the dream for all golfers, to win on the PGA Tour. I did it today. I’m thankful for my parents. Without them, I couldn’t have done that.”
Yu and Hossler, who shot a 68, finished at 23-under 265.
This was Hossler’s 200th start on the PGA Tour without ever winning — four of them as an amateur — and it was as close as any. He fell back with a pair of bogeys early on the back nine as he tried to keep pace with Mitchell, and he pulled into a share of the lead with a 20-foot birdie on the 17th hole.
But he never gave himself a good look on the 18th or in the playoff.
“Even though I didn’t have my best stuff on the back nine I grinded really hard,” Hossler said “Hit some really quality shots under the gun, and that’s all you can do. Obviously, Kevin played a beautiful hole in the playoff.”
Mitchell might have the most regrets in search of his first win in five years. He was two shots ahead with five to play when he failed to birdie the par-5 14th or the reachable par-4 15th. He still had a putt to win, and that’s where it all went wrong with a three-putt bogey.
“The first putt actually looked good off the face. Right when it missed, I kind of turned my head and didn’t watch the read on the way by,” Mitchell said. “I assumed it was breaking — guess it broke left. It was going to break right back up the hill.”
He played the 4-foot par putt inside the left edge and it stayed out to the left.
“I hate that I finished with a three-putt,” Mitchell said. “Felt like I grinded all the way to the end and gave the first putt a really good chance.”
Celine Boutier clinches Aramco Team Series title with 19-under-par finish in China
- French golfer secures her first title of the year
LONDON: France’s Celine Boutier secured her first title of the year, delivering a 19-under-par performance to win the Aramco Team Series event at Mission Hills, China.
Boutier, who began the final day tied for the lead with home favorite Xiyu Lin, carded a bogey-free round for the second consecutive day to claim victory.
She said: “It was a great round. I definitely feel like we started really hot with (Lin), so it was fun to be able to battle it out. I’m very happy with my round (but) I wish a few putts had dropped. I was honestly super happy with how I handled today.”
Boutier acknowledged the intensity of the competition, adding: “It was close the whole day. One or two shots can swing pretty fast after one hole or two, so you definitely have to be on your toes until the end. I’m super happy with the way I played the last few holes.”
She also expressed her enthusiasm for China, saying: “I feel pretty good. I like China, so hopefully I can win some more tournaments here.”
Lin, playing in front of her home crowd for the first time since winning bronze in Paris, finished just two strokes behind Boutier at 17-under-par.
Despite the loss, Lin praised Boutier’s performance, saying: “Celine played unbelievably; a 7-under round and bogey-free is hard to beat, especially when my putter is not on. When I got to 18, I was two shots behind, so I knew I had a very slim chance.”
However, she remained optimistic, and added: “I had to give it 100 percent. I hit a good drive and probably one of the best 3-woods I made all week. It’s nice; I came up just short, but hearing the crowds cheering for me was pretty unbelievable.”
The battle for third place saw Shenzhen’s winning team captain, Chiara Tamburlini, and three-time winner Pauline Roussin-Bouchard finish tied, both recording the lowest rounds of the tournament at 65.
Roussin-Bouchard made a late charge with an eagle on the 16th hole, while Tamburlini fell just three strokes short of becoming the first player to win both the team and individual titles in the same event.
Noah Alireza, CEO of Golf Saudi, said: “What an incredible show of golf we experienced this weekend at the Aramco Team Series’ first visit to Shenzhen.
“On behalf of the Golf Saudi team, we extend a heartfelt congratulations to our exceptional winners, who continue to raise the standard of excellence in golf, inspiring players and fans worldwide.”
World No. 11 Celine Boutier set to make series debut at Aramco Team Series
- Boutier to play alongside fellow LPGA stars Xiyu Lin, Ruoning Yin, Alison Lee, Angel Yin
- ‘To win here would be especially memorable,’ says Boutier
SHENZHEN, China: World No. 11 Celine Boutier is set to make her series debut at the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF — Shenzhen from Oct. 4 to 6.
Boutier headlines a stellar field including fellow LPGA stars Xiyu Lin, Ruoning Yin, Alison Lee, and Angel Yin at the tournament organized by Golf Saudi and China Golf Association.
While the 30-year-old French golfer has six professional wins, including a major victory at the 2023 Amundi Evian Championship, Boutier is still seeking her first win of the 2024 season after a T18 finish at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Eager to claim victory at her event debut, Boutier relishes the opportunity to play in the unique format that has witnessed wins from the sport’s very best including Golf Saudi ambassador Charley Hull in 2021 and Nelly Korda in 2023.
“Competing in Shenzhen, surrounded by such strong talent in this innovative format, is an exciting challenge,” said Boutier.
“It’s also great to be part of an event with a focus on advancing the women’s game, creating more opportunities for female athletes to compete on a global stage.
“To win here would be especially memorable, particularly being back on the Ladies European Tour, and having won in the last event that was here in China, back in 2017,” she said.
Boutier will also face off against some of the LET’s top talents, including the current Order of Merit leader Chiara Tamburlini, who comes fresh from her second win of the season at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
Organized by Golf Saudi, the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF consists of five events on the LET each year, contributing an additional $5 million in prize money annually.
The series arrives in Shenzhen, following events in Tampa, Seoul, and London earlier this season, with the final leg set to tee off in Riyadh on Oct. 31.
PGA Tour commissioner and Saudi fund governor paired at pro-am event in Scotland
- Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field
- Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal
Three weeks after PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan met with Saudi Arabia’s financial backer of LIV Golf, they will be together again this week in Scotland, this time inside the ropes.
Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund that supports the LIV Golf League, are playing together in the Dunhill Links Championship on the European tour. The tournament starts Thursday.
Monahan is paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan is playing with Dean Burmester of South Africa, one of 14 players from LIV Golf in the field.
In the group directly behind them Thursday at Carnoustie will be Rory McIlroy, who will be playing with his father.
Monahan and Al-Rumayyan were involved in meetings in New York on Sept. 11 and 12 as the two sides try to work out a deal in which PIF would become a minority investor in PGA Tour Enterprises and they try to figure out a team concept and bring the sides together.
The PGA Tour has banned players who moved to LIV Golf, which launched in June 2022. The European tour has allowed players to return to certain events provided they take care of sanctions, a combination of suspensions and fines.
Jon Rahm is playing the Dunhill while he appeals his fines. A ruling on that — an independent panel previously ruled in favor of the European tour — is not expected until next year.
Guy Kinnings, the CEO of the European tour, also was part of the New York meetings and will be at the Dunhill Links. Kinnings expressed optimism that discussions were headed in the right direction although he said, “Long way to go. A lot of detail, complicated stuff to be done.”
There had been concern negotiations had stalled with little movement since June. The LIV Golf League ended on Sept. 22, and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs ended at the end of August.
The tournament pairs a professional with an amateur for three rounds at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. Al-Rumayyan also played in the Dunhill a year ago. Monahan has occasionally played in the AT&T Pebble Beach under a similar format.
Americans defeat Internationals to capture Presidents Cup
- The US team featured 12 of the world’s 25 top-ranked players and won fights late in matches to continue their rivalry domination
MONTREAL: With 2025 US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley delivering the deciding point, the United States won a 10th consecutive Presidents Cup on Sunday, defeating the Internationals 18.5-11.5 at Royal Montreal.
Bradley defeated South Korea’s Kim Si-woo 1-up to clinch the trophy, which gave the Americans a 13-1-1 lead in the series against the non-European side whose only win came in 1998.
“Wow, that was incredible,” Bradley said. “Just to play in this tournament and then to win the point, my goodness.”
The US team featured 12 of the world’s 25 top-ranked players and won fights late in matches to continue their rivalry domination.
“These players were amazing,” US captain Jim Furyk said. “These guys played their hearts out this week and they played really well on the back nine. We owned the back nine this week. That was the difference.”
The Internationals took seven lost or tied matches to the 18th hole this week before the Cup was decided.
“When you don’t get a win it’s disappointing but a lot of great things to take away,” Internationals captain Mike Weir of Canada said. “We’re close. A lot of these matches were so close.”
After winning Saturday’s foursomes and four-ball sessions each by 3-1, the Americans needed only 4.5 points in 12 singles matches for the trophy.
Wins by second-ranked Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay and a half-point tie from Sam Burns set the stage for Bradley, who last played on a US team at the 2014 Ryder Cup.
“Last time I played (in 2014), I was the point to lose the Ryder Cup,” Bradley said. “So if this is my last round as a player, I’m happy with that.”
Bradley, 38, birdied the 14th hole from just inside 12 feet for a 3-up lead over Kim.
But Bradley missed a four-foot par putt to lose 16 and an eight-foot birdie putt to clinch the match and Cup at the par-3 17th, then watched Kim sink a five-footer for birdie to push the match to the 18th hole.
Kim dropped his approach to just outside eight feet while Bradley landed 26 feet away. Bradley rolled his putt to the edge of the hole for a concession par, but when Kim missed his birdie putt, the Cup was sealed for the USA.
“I learned I can still do this,” said Bradley. “It’s always hard. That was really uncomfortable there at the end but I’m really proud of how everyone played.”
Schauffele, this year’s British Open and PGA Championship winner, made seven birdies and took the last five front-nine holes in winning 4&3 to finish 4-1 this week.
“My goal was just to set the tone, get red up on that board as early as possible, and I was able to do that,” Schauffele said.
Burns and Tom Kim tied in a match the American never trailed. Kim tied Burns with a 15-foot birdie putt to win 15 but missed another 15-footer to win 18, settling for a half-point.
“I struggled with my irons. Didn’t hit it great,” said Burns, the week’s only unbeaten player with three wins and a draw.
Henley’s four-foot par putt at 16 brought a 3&2 win over South Korean Im Sung-jae, who won only one hole and never led.
Japan’s seventh-ranked Hideki Matsuyama took an emotional 1-up victory over top-ranked Scottie Scheffler in a match that was never more than 1-up either way. Matsuyama birdied three of the last five holes for the triumph.
“Really happy with how I played,” Matsuyama said.
Canada’s Corey Conners beat Tony Finau 5&3 as the tension built.
Patrick Cantlay never trailed in putting the Americans on the brink with a 3&1 win over Canada’s Taylor Pendrith.
Cantlay sank a five-foot birdie putt to win 14 for a 1-up lead, dropped his approach inches from the cup to win 15 and closed out victory with a nine-foot birdie putt to win 17.
“It’s great to have the best players in the world on my team,” Cantlay said. “Everybody fought hard this week.”
