Rory McIlroy defends title at Canadian Open in strong response to Saudi league
Rory McIlroy won the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday and gave the PGA Tour a solid reaction to the start off of the Saudi-funded LIV Golfing Invitational, closing with an 8-below 62 to gain a wild race to the complete with Justin Thomas and Tony Finau.
McIlroy experienced his initially title protection on the PGA Tour, even if he had to wait around for it. He gained golf’s fourth-oldest countrywide open in 2019 at Hamilton Golfing & Place Club, only for the the COVID-19 pandemic to cancel the future two editions.
Thomas pushed him to the conclusion at St. George’s Golfing & Country Club, and the event efficiently ended on the 17th gap. McIlroy and Thomas were tied and in the rough. McIlroy hit a wedge that rolled out to tap-in selection, while Thomas missed a 10-foot par putt, a two-shot swing. Thomas shut with a pair of bogeys and still shot 64.
McIlroy completed at 19-under 261 for a two-stroke victory.
Finau holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th for a 64 to finish next by yourself. Thomas was 3rd at 14 underneath. Justin Rose matched the event- and class-report with a 60 — with a few eagles and 3 bogeys — to tie for fourth with Sam Burns (65) at 14 less than.
McIlroy as been 1 of the strongest opponents of the LIV Golf series and spoke out versus the revenue becoming compensated to gamers like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Greg Norman, who runs the LIV Golf, stated in a story in the Washington Write-up that McIlroy had been “brainwashed” by the PGA Tour.
The victory was the second for McIlroy this year, introducing to his victory in Las Vegas very last October in the CJ Cup. He received for the 21st time on the PGA Tour.
“This is a day I’ll remember for a very long, long time,“McIlroy reported. “Twenty-just one PGA Tour wins, just one more than anyone else.”
It was a dig at Norman, who experienced 20 occupation tour wins.
PGA Commissioner slams LIV Golf
BROOKLINE, Mass. — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan described the Saudi-funded league that has signed up Johnson, Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau as a “series of exhibition matches” that spends billions of dollars on gamers without having acquiring a return on its investment.
Monahan also mentioned gamers compensated an exorbitant quantity of income would “have to be dwelling beneath a rock” to not know they would be criticized for the source of the revenue. LIV Golf is backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign prosperity fund.
“I would request any player that has left, or any participant that would at any time look at leaving, ‘Have you at any time experienced to apologize for currently being a member of the PGA Tour?’” Monahan explained from Toronto on the CBS telecast of the RBC Canadian Open up.
They were being Monahan’s initial public feedback since Thursday, when Norman’s collection commenced and Monahan suspended all PGA Tour users who performed at Centurion Golf Club exterior London.
Henderson wins ShopRite LPGA Typical
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Brooke Henderson shut with a 7-under 64 a calendar year ago in the ShopRite LPGA Typical and concluded 2nd.
The 24-calendar year-old Canadian matched the ultimate-spherical performance in the function this yr, and still experienced get the job done to do. This time she acquired the job accomplished Sunday right after overcoming a four-shot deficit.
Henderson eagled the first playoff gap to defeat Lindsey Weaver-Wright for her 11th tour victory and initially this 12 months.
“I just was making an attempt to go low and see what occurs,” Henderson reported. “I did not believe — I indicate, I believed the victory was a risk, but there are a ton of definitely proficient players forward of me and I believe I was four pictures back again starting off the day.
“I understood it was heading to choose a minimal bit of magic, and I’m just definitely happy that I’m sitting down below next to the trophy.”
Elsewhere
Thongchai Jaidee turned the 1st Thai winner in PGA Tour Champions history, closing with a 4-less than 68 for a one particular-stroke victory in the American Household Coverage Championship in Madison, Wis. … Linn Grant became the initially woman golfer to gain on the European Tour when the 22-year-previous Swede obliterated a subject of the two male and female golfers at the Scandinavian Blended function, successful by 9 strokes following an eight-below 64 in the closing round in Tylosand, Sweden. … Best-rated amateur Rose Zhang established the tone by routing Women’s British Newbie champion Louise Duncan, and Rachel Heck completed an unbeaten 7 days at Merion as the People in america gained the Curtis Cup for the 3rd straight time. The Individuals experienced a 8 1/2-3 1/2 lead going into the 8 Sunday singles and wanted only two matches to secure the cup. They won seven of them for a 15 1/2-4 1/2 victory in Ardmore, Pa.
This story at first appeared in Los Angeles Periods.