Steve Stricker of the US clinched his 10th USPGA Tour title by one shot at the Memorial on Sunday after holding off a birdie barrage from his closest pursuers with an ice-cool display.
Three strokes clear going into the final round at Muirfield Village Golf Club, the 44-year-old Stricker birdied six of the first nine holes and then survived a few anxious moments after the turn on the way to a four-under 68.
Following a lengthy weather delay, Stricker bogeyed the 15th after his drive sailed left into trees, but he did well to save par from the back bunker at the short 16th, before dropping another shot at the last for a 16-under total of 272.
Photo: Reuters
World No. 7 Matt Kuchar of the US emerged as the main challenger early on, but ran out of holes as he closed with a 65 to share second place with compatriot Brandt Jobe (65).
Long-hitting Dustin Johnson of the US also carded 65 for fourth at 12-under, one ahead of Britain’s Rory McIlroy (68).
“It was a little bit of a struggle after we came out from the rain delay and at that point I’m just trying not to make a mistake, but I hung tough and holed a couple of crucial putts when I had to,” a smiling Stricker said after being hugged by tournament host Jack Nicklaus. “It was pretty special walking off [18]. He [Nicklaus] is a friend and it’s truly an honor.”
Stricker, who climbed four places to fourth when the world rankings were issued yesterday, ranked his Memorial victory among the most meaningful of his career.
“It’s right up there at the top, if it isn’t [at the very top],” he said. “It’s a great field, it’s a great course and when you have Mr Nicklaus’ name attached to it, it adds another element of importance.”
With greens receptive to attacking approach play after being softened by overnight rain, Stricker stretched his lead to four by coolly sinking 10-foot birdie putts at the first two holes.
Kuchar briefly cut that advantage to three after hitting a superb approach to within two feet of the cup at the sixth, but Stricker responded with a birdie at the par-five fifth.
Kuchar picked up further shots at the seventh and eighth to close to within two strokes of the lead. Undaunted, Stricker tightened his grip with three consecutive birdies from the seventh to reach the turn four strokes clear.
He parred the next three holes, including a brilliant up-and-down from a bunker at the par-three 12th, and he had just teed off on 13 when play was halted because of the threat of lightning.
At that point, Stricker’s lead had been trimmed to three as Jobe made a sizzling run of five birdies from the seventh.
After play finally resumed, Stricker recorded his first bogey of the day at the par-five 15th, where his errant drive into trees forced him to take a penalty drop because of an unplayable lie.
Despite wobbling over the closing stretch, he nervelessly knocked in par-saving putts from 16 and seven feet at the 16th and 17th, before bogeying the last after finding bunkers off the tee and with his approach.
“Fifteen really made me feel pretty uncomfortable, but I made a couple of great putts coming in,” Stricker said.
Taiwan’s Lee Hao-yu on Friday went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut for the Detroit Tigers against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the 19th Taiwan-born player to reach the big leagues. The Tigers ultimately lost 1-0 in 10 innings, ending their six-game winning streak. The 23-year-old started at third base and batted eighth for Detroit. He was promoted from Triple-A Toledo ahead of the four-game series against the Red Sox at the latter’s home stadium, replacing injured utility player Zach McKinstry. “Being right-handed, and given our schedule, I think six of the next 12 games are going to
Matheus Cunha on Saturday fired Manchester United toward the UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 win at Chelsea, while Tottenham Hotspur remain in the relegation zone after twice blowing the lead to draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. Chelsea failed to take advantage of a United defense ravaged by injury and suspension as a fourth straight league defeat for the Blues left their Champions League hopes in ruins. United have missed out on the riches of Europe’s elite competition for the past two seasons, but are closing in on a return thanks to an upturn in fortunes under interim manager
Denmark’s double Olympic badminton champion Viktor Axelsen, long a rival of Taiwan’s former world No. 2 Chou Tien-chen, yesterday announced his retirement at age 32, saying back problems meant he could no longer “compete and train at the highest level.” Axelsen, who won gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and again in Paris in 2024, had back surgery in April last year and said he had not overcome his physical issues. “Accepting this situation has been incredibly difficult,” he said in a statement. “But I have now reached a point where my body won’t allow me to continue.” Axelsen retires as one
Italian soccer is at its lowest ebb in nearly 40 years after a wholesale European exodus at club level followed the nation’s failure for the third successive time to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, and compounded a leadership and structural crisis. The exits suffered by Bologna and ACF Fiorentina on Thursday in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League respectively meant no Italian teams are left in European competition this season. Italy’s last remaining UEFA Champions League contenders, Atalanta BC, went out in the round of 16 last month. It is the first time since the 1986-1987 campaign that Italian clubs
RSS