Starting his season on the Korn Ferry Tour, Matt McCarty has now qualified for the Masters by securing his first PGA Tour win at the Black Desert Championship. He wrapped up the tournament with a 4-under 67, sealed by a high-pressure shot. Following three victories on the Korn Ferry Tour, McCarty was fast-tracked to the PGA Tour in August. He seemed to adapt instantly, maintaining a two-stroke lead heading into the final round and eventually finishing three shots clear of the field.
Stephan Jaeger tried to mount a challenge, narrowing the gap to one stroke with birdies on the 14th and 15th. However, McCarty effectively ended the contest on the 310-yard 14th hole with a precise 3-wood that settled just over three feet from the cup for an eagle. This triumph guarantees that the left-handed golfer from Arizona will feature in three of the biggest events in 2019, gaining entry into both the PGA Championship and the Masters.
McCarty's success continues as he also qualified for the U.S. Open by finishing at the top of the Korn Ferry Tour rankings. He joins Jason Gore as one of the few players to win three times on the developmental circuit, earn an immediate promotion, and secure a PGA Tour win within a single season. His total score of 23-under 261 earned him a payout of $1.35 million.
Over in France, Dan Bradbury of England secured the Open de France title by a single shot, finishing with a 5-under 66. The 25-year-old surged ahead on the back nine with four birdies, ending with a total of 16-under 268 to claim his second European Tour trophy, narrowly beating Denmark's Jeff Winther. This win earns Bradbury a spot in both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Jeff Winther was unable to find the birdies he needed on the final two holes, finishing in a tie for second alongside Thorbjorn Olesen, Sam Bairstow, and Yannik Paul at the Le Golf National near Paris. Sweden's Jesper Svensson struggled with a 76, landing in 27th place. Meanwhile, Justin Rose finished tied for 13th with a 69, and 16-year-old Ukrainian Lev Grinberg put in a respectable performance, tying for 37th in only his fifth European Tour appearance.
Ruoning Yin dominated the LPGA Buick Shanghai tournament, carding an 8-under 64 to secure her fourth career LPGA win. Despite trailing Japan's Mao Saigo by one shot after the third round, Yin surged forward with an impressive run of five birdies over the final six holes, finishing with an overall score of 25-under 263 at the Qizhong Garden Golf Club.
Mao Saigo and South Korea's Sei Young Kim both finished tied for second at 19-under 269, six strokes behind Yin, after Saigo shot a 71 and Kim a 68. While Saigo was hunting for her first LPGA Tour win, she fell short. Additionally, American Yealimi Noh shot a 67 on Sunday, placing her in a tie for fourth, seven shots off the winner's pace.
Jerry Kelly claimed the SAS Championship with a 5-under 67, marking his first PGA Tour Champions victory in two years. He nearly let the title slip after a three-putt on the final hole from 40 feet, but he had played nearly perfect golf up until that point. Padraig Harrington, who started the final round with a three-shot lead, managed to tie for the lead after a birdie on the 17th, but a mishit par putt on the 18th left him with a 71 and a missed opportunity for a playoff.
After beginning the season on the Korn Ferry Tour, Matt McCarty is now headed to the Masters thanks to his first PGA Tour victory at the Black Desert Championship. He finished with a 4-under 67, utilizing a clutch shot to secure the win. Having won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour, McCarty received a promotion in August and looked completely comfortable in his third PGA Tour start, winning by three shots after holding a two-stroke lead entering the final round.
Stephan Jaeger tried to mount a challenge, narrowing the gap to one stroke with birdies on the 14th and 15th. However, McCarty effectively ended the contest on the 310-yard 14th hole with a precise 3-wood that settled just over three feet from the cup for an eagle. This triumph guarantees that the left-handed golfer from Arizona will feature in three of the biggest events in 2019, gaining entry into both the PGA Championship and the Masters.
McCarty's success continues as he also qualified for the U.S. Open by finishing at the top of the Korn Ferry Tour rankings. He joins Jason Gore as one of the few players to win three times on the developmental circuit, earn an immediate promotion, and secure a PGA Tour win within a single season. His total score of 23-under 261 earned him a payout of $1.35 million.
Over in France, Dan Bradbury of England secured the Open de France title by a single shot, finishing with a 5-under 66. The 25-year-old surged ahead on the back nine with four birdies, ending with a total of 16-under 268 to claim his second European Tour trophy, narrowly beating Denmark's Jeff Winther. This win earns Bradbury a spot in both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Jeff Winther was unable to find the birdies he needed on the final two holes, finishing in a tie for second alongside Thorbjorn Olesen, Sam Bairstow, and Yannik Paul at the Le Golf National near Paris. Sweden's Jesper Svensson struggled with a 76, landing in 27th place. Meanwhile, Justin Rose finished tied for 13th with a 69, and 16-year-old Ukrainian Lev Grinberg put in a respectable performance, tying for 37th in only his fifth European Tour appearance.
Ruoning Yin dominated the LPGA Buick Shanghai tournament, carding an 8-under 64 to secure her fourth career LPGA win. Despite trailing Japan's Mao Saigo by one shot after the third round, Yin surged forward with an impressive run of five birdies over the final six holes, finishing with an overall score of 25-under 263 at the Qizhong Garden Golf Club.
Mao Saigo and South Korea's Sei Young Kim both finished tied for second at 19-under 269, six strokes behind Yin, after Saigo shot a 71 and Kim a 68. While Saigo was hunting for her first LPGA Tour win, she fell short. Additionally, American Yealimi Noh shot a 67 on Sunday, placing her in a tie for fourth, seven shots off the winner's pace.
Jerry Kelly claimed the SAS Championship with a 5-under 67, marking his first PGA Tour Champions victory in two years. He nearly let the title slip after a three-putt on the final hole from 40 feet, but he had played nearly perfect golf up until that point. Padraig Harrington, who started the final round with a three-shot lead, managed to tie for the lead after a birdie on the 17th, but a mishit par putt on the 18th left him with a 71 and a missed opportunity for a playoff.