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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Couples takes playoff after a 61

Associated Press

Fred Couples won the Champions Tour’s Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta, chipping in for eagle for a course-record 9-under 61 and beating Billy Andrade with a tap-in birdie on the first hole of a playoff on Sunday.

The 54-year-old Couples also eagled the par-5 11th and had five birdies in his third straight bogey-free round at Canyon Meadows. Andrade closed with a 62, making a short eagle putt on the par-5 18th to match Couples at 15-under 195.

In the playoff on No. 18, Andrade went for the green in two and pulled his approach right of the green and into the grandstand. Couples laid up and hit his third within a foot. After taking a drop, Andrade left his chip 30 feet short and missed his birdie putt.

LPGA

Austin Ernst won the LPGA Tour’s Portland Classic with a par on the first hole of a playoff against South Korea’s I.K. Kim.

It was the first professional victory for the 22-year-old Ernst, who shot a 5-under 67 in the final round to get to 14 under at Columbia Edgewater. Kim, the first- and second-round leader, carded a 68.

Kim missed an 8-foot par putt in the playoff that handed the win to the American.

Ernst pulled into contention with a 5-under 31 on the front nine, highlighted by a chip-in eagle at the par-5 fifth. Kim made four birdies and no bogeys.

PGA Tour

Russell Henley made five birdies in a seven-hole stretch on his way to a 6-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead in the Deutsche Bank.

Rory McIlroy got right back into the mix at the TPC Boston with his power and great iron play for a 64, leaving him just two shots behind.

More than a dozen players have a reasonable chance going into today’s final round. Ten players were separated by four shots at the Deutsche Bank Championship, and six of them already have won this season.

Henley was at 12-under 201. Billy Horschel birdied his last three holes for a 67.