The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
40°F
Current Conditions
Scattered clouds
View complete weather report
Subscribe now

Golf roundup: Dustin Johnson wins another WGC

Dustin Johnson lines up a putt on the first hole during the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club, Sunday, July 3, 2016, in Akron, Ohio. Johnson won the tournament. (Tony Dejak / Associated Press)
Associated Press

In his first start since winning the U.S. Open, Dustin Johnson won another World Golf Championship in Akron, Ohio, on Sunday.

Johnson ran off three birdies on the back nine at Firestone and closed with a 4-under 66 to win the Bridgestone Invitational. He was helped in part by a surprising collapse by Jason Day.

Day, the world’s No. 1 player, was tied for the lead when he hooked a 3-wood off the tee on the par-5 16th, hit across the fairway and tried to bend a shot around the pond. He went into the water, making double bogey.

Day did not hit a green in regulation over his last six holes.

Johnson now has three WGC titles, and goes to the British Open as the player to beat.

PGA Tour

Greg Chalmers won the Barracuda Championship at Montreux in Reno, Nevada, for his first PGA Tour title, eagling the final hole for a six-point victory in the modified Stableford scoring event.

The 42-year-old Australian left-hander broke through in his 386th start after entering the week as the active player with the most events without a victory.

A point ahead of Gary Woodland and needing at least a par on the par-5 18th to wrap up the victory, Chalmers made an 8-foot eagle putt after hitting a 320-yard drive and 230-yard approach. Earlier, Woodland three-putted for a bogey on 18.

Chalmers earned a two-year tour exemption and a spot in the British Open in two weeks at Royal Troon. With only conditional status, he split time between the tour and the Web.com Tour this year.

Chalmers had a four-point round to finish with 43 in the scoring system that awards eight points for double eagle, five for eagle, two for birdie and deducts a point for bogey and three for double bogey or worse.

LPGA Tour

Defending champion Brooke Henderson survived some tense moments on the back nine on the way to a four-stroke victory at the LPGA Cambia Portland Classic.

The second-ranked Henderson shot a 14-under 274 after a final round 71 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club, pulling away from American Stacy Lewis, who was 10-under after a 69.

Henderson became the first back-to-back winner at Portland since Annika Sorenstam won consecutive tournaments in 2002 and 2003. The 18-year-old is the first wire-to-wire winner at Portland since the tournament went to a 72-hole event in 2013.

Henderson is the tour’s second wire-to-wire winner this year, joining Ha Na Jang, who won the Coates Championship in February.

European Tour

Thongchai Jaidee won the French Open at Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines by four strokes, as Rory McIlroy failed to deliver a final-round surge.

Starting the day with a two-stroke lead over McIlroy, the 46-year-old Thongchai birdied two of his first six holes and shot a 3-under 68 to finish 11-under 273 at Le Golf National outside Paris, where the 2018 Ryder Cup will be staged.

For his eighth victory on the European Tour, the Thai player collected $650,000 – the biggest check of his career. He described his fourth victory over the age of 40 as his “biggest win ever.”

Francesco Molinari finished in second place after shooting 66, the lowest round of the final day.

McIlroy couldn’t get near Thongchai. He bogeyed No. 3 and made his only birdie on No. 14, shooting par 71 for third place.