Brittany Lincicome eagled the 72nd hole on Sunday to win the Kraft Nabisco Championship, capturing the first major title of her career.
A stunning shot on the par-five 18th at Mission Hills set up the eagle for the American, who erased a one-shot deficit to beat playing partners Kristy McPherson and Cristie Kerr.
Lincicome carded a final-round 69 for a nine-under total of 279 and victory in the first women’s major of the year.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“I can’t even describe it. It’s surreal,” Lincicome said. “If I had to make anything further than that, my hands were shaking so bad, I was almost crying.”
Kerr, a former US Women’s Open champion, closed with a 71 and McPherson posted a 72 to finish on 280.
Australian Lindsey Wright closed with a 70 to finish in sole possession of fourth place on 282, while Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (66) and Meaghan Francella (69) tied for fifth.
Defending champion Lorena Ochoa of Mexico finished eight adrift on 287, chipping in for eagle at the last to complete a 69.
Taiwan’s Yani Tseng shot a 69 to finish on 288, while Candie Kung’s final-round 74 left her on 293 for the tournament.
■HOUSTON OPEN
REUTERS, HOUSTON, TEXAS
Britain’s Paul Casey gave himself the perfect warm-up for next week’s US Masters by winning his first PGA Tour title in a playoff at the weather-delayed Houston Open on Sunday.
Casey sealed victory with a bogey five at the first extra hole where big-hitting American J.B. Holmes drove into the water and finished with a double-bogey.
■PORTUGAL OPEN
REUTERS, CASCAIS, PORTUGAL
Britain’s Michael Hoey recorded his maiden European Tour victory on Sunday when he defeated Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in a playoff for the Portugal Open title.
Both players had come through the field to finish on seven-under, Hoey with a 66 and Fernandez-Castano a 67, but the Spaniard’s bogey on the third shootout hole handed Hoey victory.
Hong Kong-based cricket team Hung See this weekend found success in their matches in Taiwan, even if none of the results went their way. Hung See played the Chairman’s XI on Saturday morning, the Daredevils that afternoon and PCCT yesterday, with all three home teams winning. The team for Chinese players at the Happy Valley-based Craigengower Cricket Club sends teams on tour to “spread the game of cricket.” This weekend was Hung See’s second trip to Taiwan after visiting Tainan in 2016. “The club has been traveling to all parts of the world since 1982 and the annual tradition continues [with the Taiwan
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