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Lashley's unlikely PGA Tour win in Detroit

Nate Lashley has won his maiden US PGA Tour title at age 36 with a wire to wire victory in Detroit.

By Larry Lage, Australian Associated Press
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The last player into the field, Nate Lashley has completed an unlikely and emotional wire-to-wire victory in the US PGA Tour's tournament in Detroit.

The 36-year-old Lashley clinched his maiden PGA Tour title when he closed with a two-under 70 to finish at 25-under 263 and win by six shots, the margin he took into the day.

Lashley's parents and girlfriend were killed in a plane crash 15 years ago. He dabbled in real estate after graduating from the University of Arizona, quit playing professional golf several years ago and resumed playing in the PGA Tour's minor leagues.

"Without my parents, I wouldn't have started playing golf when I was little," said Lashley, who began playing when he was eight. "They did everything to help me have a career."

Monday qualifier Doc Redman shot a 67 to finish second. Rory Sabbatini (68) and Wes Roach (68) were another stroke back in tied third..

The 353rd ranked player in the world, Lashley only slipped into PGA Tour's first event in Detroit as an alternate on Wednesday.

Nebraskan Lasley took full advantage of the opportunity, shooting a career-low 63 in the first round to take a lead he refused to lose at Detroit Golf Club. He stayed atop the leaderboard with a 67 on Friday and gave himself a cushion with another nine-under 63 on Saturday.

"I'm just real emotional," he said. "I'm just thankful I got in the tournament."

On the brink of breaking through during his second PGA Tour season, his sister, girlfriend, buddies and family friends flew to Detroit to join him.

Brooke Lashley, who lives near her brother in Arizona, was in awe of as fans followed and cheered for her little brother as they stood along the ropes from tee to green.

"I'm sure a lot of these people didn't know him a couple days ago," she said.

"He's doing all he can to focus, but this is so incredible. It's foreign to him because he's never had this much attention. He's never played in front of a gallery like this with TV cameras all over the place."

In 2014, parents Rod and Char Lashley and girlfriend Leslie Hofmeister, all of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, were missing for three days before their bodies and the wreckage were found near the 13,780-foot Gannett Peak in Wyoming after watching him play in a tournament for the University of Arizona.

"It rocked our community," recalled Helen Reinhardt, a family friend from Nebraska.

Reinhardt and her husband, Jim, boarded a charter plane in Nebraska that stopped in Minnesota to pick up Lashley's girlfriend and arrived in the Motor City on Sunday.

"It's great to be here to watch his dream come true after watching him play in the Dakotas Tour and work his way up to here," said Jeff Peck, one of about a dozen of Lashley's friends at Detroit Golf Club.


Bezuidenhout wins Andalucia to join Open

South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout has won the Andalucia Masters by six-shots, with local Jon Rahm second and none of the three Australians making par.

By Australian Associated Press
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South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout has clinched his first European Tour title in style with a six-shot victory at the Andalucia Masters in Spain.

Bezuidenhout shot a closing even-par 71 at Valderrama to finish well clear of a group of five on Sunday, and earn a spot in next month's British Open in the process.

"I'm really proud of myself, hanging in there today," said the 25-year-old, who arrived in Sotogrande in good form following a tie for third at last week's BMW International Open in Munich.

After three rounds in the 60s, Bezuidenhout started Sunday's final round five shots clear of Spanish world No.11 Jon Rahm.

Birdies at the first two holes seemed to have set up a victory procession for Bezuidenhout, but he promptly bogeyed four of the next five and his lead was down to three.

The pivotal moment came at the eighth hole, where he holed a clutch 10-foot putt to save par and stem the bleeding.

"I went through a stuff stretch (but the) great save on eight kept the momentum on my side and bounced back with three birdies in a row," Bezuidenhout said.

"That settled me down nicely. I knew I just had to keep going and hit greens."

He finished at 10-under 274.

Rahm battled to a 72 and a share of second place with fellow Spaniards Alvaro Quiros (66), Adri Arnaus (69), Eduardo de la Riva (69) and Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera (68).

Arnaus and Lorenzo-Vera also punched tickets to the July 18-21 Open at Royal Portrush.

Tournament host Sergio Garcia finished another shot back, alone in seventh.

None of the Australians made par.

The best-placed Australian was Min Woo Lee who finished two-over in equal 23rd place, while Jason Scrivener was three-over in 26th place and Wade Ormsby finished another five shots back in equal 56th.


Nate Lashley maintains PGA lead in Detroit

Cameron Smith is the only Australian to survive the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic PGA tournament in Detroit, where world No.353 Nate Lashey still leads.

By Australian Associated Press
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Nate Lashley shot a five-under 67 on Friday (Saturday AEST) to top the Rocket Mortgage Classic PGA tournament leaderboard for the second straight day, while Cameron Smith was the only Australian to survive a tilt at the weekend.

Lashley had a 14-under 130 total at Detroit Golf Club.

Fellow American Cameron Champ was a stroke back after a 65 after he played the front nine in eight-under 28, matching the lowest nine-hole score on the PGA Tour this season.

Champ was under par for six holes, matching a mark this season on the tour, after opening with a par. He cooled off on a steamy day at Detroit Golf Club with a one-over 37 on the back nine.

Nate Lashley took advantage of the opportunity to put his name on top of the leaderboard ahead of the weekend.

"A lot of the weeks the courses are really difficult, so it's a nice change coming here," said Lashley, who is ranked No.353 in the world and No.132 in the FedEx Cup standings.

"I need a good week and move up into that top 125," he said.

"To do it this week comfortably would be great. To be able to kind of relax the last few events of the season would be really nice."

Charles Howell III (67) was two shots back. J.T. Poston (63) and Ryan Armour (69) were another stroke back.

Cameron Smith shot a solid four-under 68 to sit eight shots off the leader on six-under as the only Australian to beat the cut.

Among Smith's compatriots who missed the cut at the conclusion of the second round include Matt Jones, Rod Pampling (both two-under), Curtis Luck (one-under) and Cameron Davis (even-par).

Dustin Johnson, the world's second-ranked player, and U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland finished at two-under to also miss the cut, while Chez Reavie, who won the Travelers Championship last week, and Bubba Watson were also on the list of those who failed to make it to the weekend.


Bezuidenhout takes Valderrama Masters lead

South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout is leading tournament host Sergio Garcia at the Valderrama Masters, where Aussie Min Woo Lee has shot an impressive round.

By Australian Associated Press
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Christiaan Bezuidenhout of South Africa has taken a four-shot lead over Sergio Garcia and three other golfers at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.

Bezuidenhout carded a three-under 68 on Friday (Saturday AEST) to reach eight-under for the tournament after two rounds. He started with a 66 that included eight birdies and three bogeys.

"I just kept it in play really nicely," Bezuidenhout said.

"That's the key thing here, hitting fairways. I was driving it really well. On a course like this you can score well if you hit the fairways but if you don't you can really struggle."

Min Woo Lee is best positioned from the Australian contingent, sitting at even-par after carding an impressive four-under 67 round. Compatriots Jason Scrivener (one-over) and Wade Ormsby (two-over) also finished the second round above the cut.

Tournament host Garcia shot a one-over 72 to stay at four-under, along with Bradley Dredge of Wales and fellow Spaniards Adri Arnaus and Alvaro Quiros.

First-round leader Victor Perez fell five shots off the lead after a 74 in a round that included a triple bogey on the par-four 13th hole. The Frenchman had a bogey-free round on day one.

The cut has eliminated Australians Jake McLeod (three-over), Adam Bland (four-over), Deyen Lawson (five-over), Scott Hend (five-over), Nick Cullen (five-over), Dimitros Papadatos (six-over) and Sam Brazel (nine-over).


Golfers, celebs applaud Green's PGA win

Hannah Green has received worldwide praise for her maiden major victory at the Women's US PGA Championship in Minnesota.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt has joined a chorus of Australian golfers and celebrities in congratulating Perth phenom Hannah Green for winning the Women's US PGA Championship.

Green, 22, captured her first major title and LPGA Tour victory on Sunday with a one-shot win over defending champion Sung Hyun Park at Hazeltine National in Minnesota.

Green became the first Australian woman to win a major since Karrie Webb claimed the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

Green is also just the third Australian woman to win a major, after seven-time winner Webb and three-time winner Jan Stephenson - both World Golf Hall of Fame members.

Pitt said the triumph of Green, a member of Golf Australia's rookie professional program, would resonate strongly with Australian girls.

"It was an incredible win by Hannah; to lead wire to wire in a major is pretty rare and very special," Pitt told AAP.

"We were all riding the bumps with her and it was just fantastic to see how she steadied herself down the stretch. It was a terrific day for Australian golf."

Women's golf great Webb was present at Hazeltine and celebrated with Green on the final hole.

Webb tipped big-hitting Green to win more majors and LPA Tour titles.

"I start choking up thinking about how much winning this event would change her life and how proud I was of her," an emotional Webb said.

"I caught myself a few times getting ahead of myself for Hannah. It was just amazing how she was handling herself out there.

"For this to be her first win and her first major, it's just fantastic.

"I've seen this (win coming) for years; I could just tell the way she carries herself on the golf course, and how she is mentally, that she was made to win golf tournaments on the LPGA. She was made to win majors."

Former touring pro and renowned course architect Mike Clayton said it was pleasing to see world No.114 Green, relatively unheard of to the rest of the sporting world, reach her potential.

"All the years Hannah Green tried to win the Australian Amateur, she couldn't get past the Koreans or the semi-final. Now she beats their best in a major. Ash Barty too. What a day. Just wow," Clayton posted on Twitter.

Like Clayton, comedian Andy Lee said Green's victory was extra special given it came hours after Ash Barty reached the No.1 ranking in women's tennis.

With a victory at the Birmingham Classic, Barty became the first Australian woman to reach No.1 since her idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley did in 1976.

Australian surfer Sally Fitzgibbons also attained the world No.1 ranking in her sport after beating Carissa Moore in the final of World Surf League's Rio Pro in Brazil.

"YES @hannahgreengolf!!!!! Clutch up and down on 18. Huge congrats ... what a day for Aussies in women's sport," Lee posted on Twitter.


Green 'made to win majors': Karrie Webb

Australia's Hannah Green has won the women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Australian golf icon Karrie Webb has predicted Hannah Green's victory at the Women's US PGA Championship will open the floodgates to what promises to be a stellar career.

In a passing of the baton moment, World Golf Hall of Fame member Webb stood proudly on the 18th green at Hazeltine Golf Club in Minnesota.

Webb congratulated the 22-year-old she has mentored for four years as Green clinched her maiden major victory and LPGA Tour title.

"I start choking up thinking about how much winning this event would change her life and how proud I was of her," an emotional Webb said.

Green, from Perth, is the first Australian woman to win a major since Webb claimed the 2006 Kraft Nabisco Championship.

By saving a clutch par from a greenside bunker on the final hole, Green - who led after every round - won by one shot from defending champion Sung Hyun Park (68), whose closing birdie added extra pressure.

"That was world class; the way she closed out that tournament," Webb said of Green, whose even-par 72 gave her a nine-under total.

Green, in only her second full year on the LPGA Tour, is the first wire-to-wire winner of the Women's PGA since 2011.

Seven-time major winner Webb said Green was born for golf's biggest stage.

"She was made for winning LPGA tournaments and major championships," Webb said.

"Years ago, I could tell that because of the way she carries herself on the course and how she is mentally."

Green's rise has been meteoric in the past two years.

She won three times on the secondary Symetra Tour in 2017, which gave her the Rookie of the Year award and an LPGA Tour card for 2018.

On Sunday, she became just the third Australian woman after Jan Stephenson and Webb to win a major.

"I'm pretty much speechless," said Green. "I just can't believe I'm here right now."

Green paid tribute to the mentoring of Webb, whose scholarship she won in 2015 came with a trip to watch Webb at that year's US Women's Open.

"Getting to know Karrie, staying in a house with her and watching everything she (did) in a major tournament gave me a big insight into what it was like," Green said.

Green built a handy lead in the final round before all but frittering it away with three bogeys in a four-hole stretch around the turn.

She steadied the ship after that and a 15-foot birdie at the 16th hole proved decisive.

American Nelly Korda (71) and England's Mel Reid (66) tied for third, three shots behind.

Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn, who started the day one shot behind Green, had a nightmare 77 to plunge into a tie for 10th on three-under.

Australia's Minjee Lee shot a final round one-under 71 to tie for 30th while compatriot Su Oh finished finished six over for tied 53rd.


Reavie wins Travelers, Day finishes top 10

Chez Reavie has won US PGA Tour's Travelers Championship in Connecticut while Jason Day finished tied for eighth.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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A scintillating week of ball-striking has Jason Day raring for next month's British Open despite coming up short in his bid to chase eventual winner Chez Reavie at the US PGA Tour's Travelers Championship.

American Reavie ended an 11-year winless drought on the PGA Tour with victory at the event in Connecticut on Sunday.

Posting a one-under-par 69 at TPC River Highlands to finish at 17-under, Reavie earned a four-shot win from fellow Americans Zack Sucher (67) and Keegan Bradley (67).

Reavie's last win on the PGA Tour came at the 2008 Canadian Open.

Australia's Jason Day shot 69 to secure a tie for eighth at 10 under.

"I went through some injuries and had some long years in between," Reavie said after winning $US1.3 million in prizemoney on Sunday.

"It gave me perseverance and good perspective of what life is.

"I enjoy every minute of every week I'm out here and I don't think I would if I didn't go through those tough times."

The 37-year-old Reavie started Sunday with a six-shot cushion but his lead diminished to just one during the final round.

However, the Arizona native held his nerve before bagging a birdie at the par-4 17th en route to victory.

Former world No.1 Day, who has accomplished caddie Steve Williams on the bag, started the final round seven shots behind Reavie.

Day missed birdie chances on the first two holes before picking one up at No.3 to hold some hope of a miracle comeback.

However, on the very next hole, Day three-putted for bogey before a rinsed tee shot at the par-3 eighth led to a double-bogey that all but sealed his fate.

Day rattled off three back nine birdies to at least salvage his seventh top-10 result of this PGA Tour season.

Day hit a remarkable 63 of 72 greens in regulation (88 per cent) for the tournament, while finding 44 of 56 (79 per cent) fairways.

He is excited for the British Open in Northern Ireland, where he will attempt to win a second career major to go with his 2015 PGA Championship win.

Day will next play the 3M Open in Minnesota in July as his final hit-out.

"There are a lot of positives coming from this week; I hit 88 per cent of greens," Day said.

"I feel really good about my game. I'm very motivated to go back and practise this coming week and get ready for the 3M."

Meanwhile, Day's countryman Marc Leishman signed off on the event he won in 2012 with a 68 to improve his 72-hole total to six under.

Cameron Davis (70) rounded out the Australian contingent finishing at three under.


Sizzling round has Day in PGA contention

Jason Day's bogey-free second round at the PGA Tour's Travelers Championship in Connecticut featured seven birdies and has put him in weekend contention.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Queensland-born Jason Day has credited caddie Steve Williams' relentless work ethic for his lowest score in two years on the US PGA Tour after launching himself into weekend contention at the Travelers Championship.

Former world No.1 Day opened the event in Connecticut with a lacklustre, even-par 70 on Thursday (Friday AEST) before accomplished New Zealand caddie Williams demanded a practice session after his first round.

"Pretty much when (Williams) asks you to do something, you do it," Day said.

It paid dividends in Friday's (Saturday AEST) second round, when Day fired a bogey-free, seven-under-par 63 to sit four shots behind the lead.

Unheralded American Zack Sucher (65) took the 36-hole lead at 11-under, with Chez Reavie and Keegan Bradley (both 66) sharing second at nine-under.

Teeing off the 10th hole on Friday with an even-par total, Day jumped out of the gates with five front nine birdies - including four consecutive from the par-three 11th.

The Australian added two more birdies on the front nine and signed for a 63 - Day's lowest round on the PGA Tour since May 2017.

Day put on a ball-striking clinic despite heavy rain lashing the morning groups at the Cromwell, Connecticut course.

He found 11 of 14 fairways from the tee, while hitting 14 of 18 greens in regulation.

Day says there is no doubt his improved swing is due to Williams' insistence the Queenslander practice after every round since they teamed up before last week's US Open at Pebble Beach.

The 31-year-old is buying into Williams' philosophy given he caddied for Tiger Woods during 13 of his 15 major victories, as well as helping Australia's Adam Scott to his 2013 Masters win at Augusta.

"We've definitely been a lot more disciplined about going to the range and putting green, chipping green after the round and making sure we're staying on top of it," Day said.

Marc Leishman is next best of the Australians having carded a 70 to remain at four-under, while countrymen Cameron Davis (68) and Matt Jones (69) are two strokes further behind.

With the 36-hole cut falling at two-under, Australians Curtis Luck (one-under) Rod Pampling (even-par), Aaron Baddeley (two-over) and Cameron Smith (three-over) all missed the weekend rounds.


Green is women's PGA Championship leader

Australian Hannah Green is the tournament leader after the opening round of the women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine.

By Australian Associated Press
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Hannah Green is the first round leader at the women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine with the Australian shooting a brilliant four-under par 68 to lead by one.

Green posted four birdies, three of them coming on the par fives, in a bogey-free first round.

The West Australian was hot with the putter, beginning with a 15-foot par putt that was followed by a birdie from 20 feet on the next hole.

And she kept it rolling through rain, wind and sunshine despite not having any wet weather gear when she teed off because rain pants "make too much noise."

Green hit only nine greens but took only 23 putts, none of them from tap-in range.

"I guess I just had a lot of luck today with putts going in and getting good bounces," Green said.

"I don't really think I ever had a tap-in putt for my par putts when I missed the green. I made all of them. Very happy with that."

In one of the shots of the day, the 22-year-old holed out from the bunker on the par-five seventh for birdie.

She had another birdie opportunity on the ninth hole, her last hole, but narrowly missed to remain one shot in front of Hyo Joo Kim and Mel Reid.

Green had her own cheering section.

Karrie Webb, Australia's most prolific major champion, has been offering scholarships to two amateurs for the last several years.

They are with Webb this week, and followed Green along. They're all staying in the same house, cooking and working on a 2,000-piece puzzle they wanted to finish in time for their barbecue on Saturday.

This is meaningful to Green because she was a Karrie Webb scholarship winner four years ago, coming over to America for the US Women's Open - the first golf tournament she saw as a spectator.

She even toured the media centre and there she was Thursday evening answering questions about her round.

"That was a real eye-opener for me, and I guess it's pretty cool now to be doing that today," Green said.

Hazeltine was so long and tough that only 16 players broke par.

There were 20 rounds of 80 or higher, including Michelle Wie, who matched a career high with an 84.

One shot behind Kim and Reid in a tie for fourth are Amy Yang, defending champion and former world No.1 Sung Hyun Park, In-Kyung Kim, Ariya Jutanugarn, Annie Park and Xi Yu Lin.

World No.3 Minjee Lee, who is hoping to snare an elusive first major and possibly the world's top women's ranking, made a slow start.

Lee shot a two-over-par 72 to be tied 46th, after mixing two birdies with four bogeys, to join compatriot Su Oh.

Fellow Australians Webb (five over), Katherine Kirk (six over), Sarah Kemp (seven over) and Wendy Doolan (14 over) made poor starts.

Five-time LPGA winner and former US Women's Open champion Wie, returning to competition from injury, was in tears.

"It's hard," Wie said. "It's just one of those situations where I'm not entirely sure how much I have left in me."


Williams key to reclaiming No.1: Day

Jason Day wants to reclaim golf's world No.1 ranking and says accomplished caddie Steve Williams is the man to help his long quest.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Jason Day says his exciting new partnership with accomplished caddie Steve Williams has restored his hunger to reclaim golf's world No.1 ranking.

Winless since earning two US PGA Tour victories between January and May last year, former world No.1 Day admits he was struggling to find a spark in his career.

But the Queenslander believes he has turned a corner with Williams on the bag - admitting that hitting practice balls after his Wednesday pro am at the Travelers Championship was effort he had not put in for some time.

The Travelers event at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut is the second event Williams will caddie for Day, following his tie for 21st at last week's US Open.

Day knows New Zealand's Williams will not tolerate slacking, having caddied for Tiger Woods during 13 of his 15 major championship wins in addition to Australian Adam Scott when he won the 2013 Masters at Augusta.

"I think the most exciting thing for my game right now is the hunger and desire to get better again is back," Day told AAP at TPC River Highlands.

"Steve has been integral in that feeling because he is huge on hard work.

"That's why I'm back trying to do the things I need to do to improve; I'm going to do more work after a pro am which I wasn't really doing previously. I'm excited about getting on top of it all."

Day, whose 12 PGA Tour titles includes the 2015 US PGA Championship, has not lifted a trophy since winning the Wells Fargo Championship in May last year.

He admits there is a long road ahead to climb golf's rankings and usurp four-time major winner Brooks Koepka's hold on the position.

"Once you get that desire to get back to the top, working is very easy and becomes more of a habit," Day said.

"I'm going to be patient and let the results come however difficult that may be."

Day will play the opening rounds of the Travelers with Paul Casey and Bryson DeChambeau.

Other Australians in the field include 2012 winner Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Rod Pampling, Curtis Luck, Cameron Smith, Aaron Baddeley and Cameron Davis.

Headlining the Travelers are major champions Bubba Watson, Koepka, Francesco Molinari and Justin Thomas.

TPC River Highlands, a par 70 that measures only 6,841 yards, is the second-shortest course on the PGA Tour behind Pebble Beach (6,816 yards).