Kevin Kisner wins at Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Kevin Kisner made a 15-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 2-over 74 and a one-stroke victory over Chesson Hadley at the Pebble Beach Invitational on Sunday.

 

Kisner began the day with a two-stroke lead and finished at 13-under 275 after a tumultuous final round in the tournament featuring 80 professionals from the PGA, LPGA, Champions and Web.com tours.

 

"I wish I would had about a six-stroke lead, so it wasn't so stressful," said Kisner, who rejoined the PGA Tour this season. "The back nine was playing brutally hard. I just got unlucky."

 

Kisner, who had a tournament-low 64 Saturday at Spyglass Hill, moved to 17 under and a six-stroke margin after 11 holes. But he bogeyed the 12th, double-bogeyed the 14th and bogeyed the 17th.

 

"I just hung in there," said Kisner, who in March claimed his second Web.com Tour win at the Chile Open in Santiago. "Things like this always happen when you are in the hunt. Only when you are in a position to win does it seem to happen."

 

Hadley shot a 70 and was four shots in front of Scott Langley (68) and William McGirt (73), who tied for third at 8 under.

 

Hadley, playing in the final group with Kisner, began the day trailing by five shots. But he remained steady while Kisner stumbled.

 

"When Kevin double-bogeyed 14, I definitely thought I still had a chance," said Hadley, a 2014 PGA Tour rookie. "The conditions were tough out there, but I thought I had a chance on the 18th, but Kevin made a downhill 15-footer to win. My hat's off to him."

 

Mina Harigae had a 71 to top LPGA finishers and finished tied for fifth with Sam Saunders (74) and Mark Brooks (70) at 281.

 

Brooks, who has won the event three times, moved into contention and was six under on the day and 11 under for the tournament halfway through the final round before faltering.

 

Tommy Armour III (68) and Kirk Triplett (72) were the top Champions Tour finishers and were among five players at 282.

 

Jason Kokrak started the day in second two shots back, but shot 80 and finished among seven players at 283.

 

Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who has played in the event several times since retiring from the LPGA in 2008, finished at even par after a final-round 75.

Kisner earned $60,000 of the $300,000 purse.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

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Rory McIlroy settles legal dispute

One down, one to go for Rory McIlroy.

 

The Northern Irishman has reportedly settled a legal dispute with a former sponsor, Oakley.

"The legal claims brought by Oakley against Rory McIlroy in California have been amicably settled to the satisfaction of both parties," according to a statement released on McIlroy's behalf said.

 

The former world No. 1 golfer still has a lawsuit pending against Horizon Sports Management, which used to represent him. A trial date is scheduled for October next year.

 

McIlroy's last victory came at the 2012 European Tour finale in Dubai. He's expected to play in this week's Australian Open and then the Tiger Woods-hosted World Challenge in California.

 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Luke Donald defends title

MIYAZAKI, Japan -- Luke Donald shot a 5-under 66 on Sunday to defend his title at the Dunlop Phoenix and claim his first victory of the year.

 

Heading into the final round with a two-stroke lead, Donald carded seven birdies against a pair of bogeys at the par-71 Phoenix Country Club to finish at 14-under 270.

 

The 35-year-old Briton, who hadn't won since winning the title here last year, claimed the $400,000 winner's prize.

 

Kim Hyung-sung of South Korea finished second at 8 under after a final round 70 while Japanese tour veteran Shingo Katayama shot a 65 to finish third, one stroke behind Kim.

 

Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Japan's Shunsuke Sonoda tied for fourth and money leader Hideki Matsuyama shared sixth place with Australian Brad Kennedy and South Korea's Lee Kyoung-hoon.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

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John Daly Continues Comeback

MALELANE, South Africa -- John Daly will play in the European Tour's Alfred Dunhill Championship this week as he comes back from elbow surgery.

 

The two-time major winner is in the field at Leopard Creek Golf Club near Kruger National Park in northern South Africa for only his second tournament since an operation in July to repair a shattered tendon in his right elbow.

 

The American got off to a promising start at last month's BMW Masters in his return to golf, before fading over the weekend to finish 5 over and in a tie for 48th.

 

"I'm really fresh and I want to play," Daly said Monday. "I don't want to waste the end of this year. I'd like to get something going for the end of this year so I can get on track for next year."

 

Daly returns to South Africa for the first time since the early 1990s, when he won a couple of tournaments to kick-start his career.

 

It's been nearly a decade since the 1991 PGA Championship winner and '95 British Open champion won on the U.S. or European tours, but he showed encouraging signs at the BMW Masters in China by opening with a 68.

 

He goes up against 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and Brendon de Jonge this week, but the Leopard Creek course could suit him.

 

"It's a ball striker's golf course," Daly said after his first look at the layout. "You've got to hit the fairways. And the greens are tricky. It's the kind of course where you'd almost prefer a 20-footer to a 10-footer on these greens."

 

The Alfred Dunhill is the second of three straight tournaments in South Africa to start the new European season and the 2014 Race to Dubai.

 

Morten Orum Madsen won the South African Open on Sunday, while Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Schwartzel and De Jonge are part of a 30-man field at the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City on Dec. 5-8.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

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Emirates Australian Open: Rory McIlroy targeting victory Down Under

 

 

Rory McIlroy remains positive he can end his title drought in 2013 with two chances left to do so.

 

The Northern Irishman played a brief practice round at Royal Sydney on Monday ahead of this week's Emirates Australian Open.

 

The former world No 1 said he is eagerly looking forward to his duel with Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day.

 

McIlroy has had eight top-10 finishes in 2013 - including in his last two starts in Dubai and Shanghai - and he is hopeful of victory in Australia and then the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge in America next month.

 

He said: "I'm definitely not down here for a holiday.

 

"I've got two tournaments left. I've got here and then fly straight back to LA for Tiger's tournament, so it would be great to finish the year with a win."

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China's Shanshan Feng secures victory in LPGA Titleholders by one shot

 

Shanshan Feng came through the field on the final day to land the LPGA Tour season-finale, the Titleholders in Florida.

 

The world No 7 from China shot a closing 66 to land the $2m tournament, her third career title, with a closing 15-under total.

 

She began the day two strokes off the pace but soon closed that gap with four birdies in her first six holes.

 

Two more birdies at the 15th and 17th proved enough to hold off America's Gerina Piller by one shot - she carded a 69 to take second ahead of Pornanong Phatlum and fourth-placed Sandra Gal of Germany.

 

The third overnight leader, Natalie Gulbis, had a nightmare final day six bogeys, a double and a triple in a horrific round of 82 that dropped her into a tie for 29th place, 14 shots off the winner.

 

"I never thought I was going to win even though I was only two behind," Feng said. "All the people in the last two groups were strong competitors.

 

"I set a goal to finish 15-under par and that's what I was able to do. I'm really happy I'm at 15-under and I finally won.

 

"I set a goal early this year to win twice on the LPGA Tour this year. I hadn't won at all until I went to China. I left it to the last minute but I did it. I'm really happy. It means I can take a little more time off in the off season I guess."

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Rory McIlroy's legal dispute with former sponsors Oakley has been settled

 

Rory McIlroy has settled a legal dispute with his former sponsor, American sportswear company Oakley.

 

McIlroy did not disclose the terms of the settlement, which came about over his sponsorship switch to Nike in January.

 

That move prompted Oakley to launch legal action to try to retain its own deal, saying it had the right to match any improved agreement with another company.

 

"The legal claims brought by Oakley against Rory McIlroy in California have been amicably settled to the satisfaction of both parties," a statement released on behalf of McIlroy said.

"I am delighted the case is now behind me," McIlroy was quoted as saying.

 

He revealed earlier this month the legal worries had weighed on him this season and possibly contributed to his drop in performance.

 

In September, McIlroy terminated his contract with Dublin-based Horizon Sports Management to form his own management company - that split has also reached the courts.

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South African Open: Morten Orum Madsen sees off strong home challenge in final round

 

Denmark's Morten Orum Madsen claimed his maiden European Tour win with a two-shot success at the South African Open.

Madsen, the world No. 244, birdied three of his last six holes in a closing five-under 67 to finish on 19-under-par at Glendower Golf Club in Gauteng.

"It's been an amazing day," said Madsen, who had five birdies in all during a blemish-free round.

 

"It's a cliche to say it hasn't sunk in - but it hasn't. I'm so happy. Coming here I expected to play well but not to be standing here talking as the winner."

Jbe Kruger fired a best-of-the-day 65 to earn a share of second place with his fellow South African Hennie Otto (67) at 17-under-par.

Charl Schwartzel stretched his one-shot overnight lead to three with early birdies at the second, third and fourth.

But the world No.22, comfortably the highest-ranked player in the field, triple bogeyed the par-three sixth and ran up a six at the par-four 10th to derail his challenge.

Schwartzel, trying to win his national open for the first time, regained some lost ground later on with three back-nine birdies to sign for a 71, ending up tied for fourth on 16-under-par with Italy's Marco Crespi (70).

Otto, the 2011 winner, led by three shots with four holes to play but bogeyed 15th and double bogeyed the 16th to open the door for Madsen.

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