Our golf fantasy recap hones in on an eight-time PGA Tour champion, who ended an extended drought with an impressive win a the AT&T Byron Nelson, a former world No. 1 rose to the occasion with a dominant display in his home country, and a young star surprised on the LPGA Tour or the second time in as many weeks. Here is a recap of the events from around the golf world this past weekend.
AT&T Byron Nelson
PGA Tour
Sergio Garcia finally broke through with a win at the AT&T Byron Nelson on SUNDAY. The veteran golfer rallied to force a playoff with Brooks Koepka and after the latter put his tee shot in the drink on the first playoff hole, Garcia calmly took advantage to clinch his ninth-career PGA Tour win. The victory was Garcia’s first since the 2012 Wyndham Championship and it pushed Garcia in to a tie with Steve Ballesteros for the most career PGA Tour wins by a Spanish golfer. Koepka settled for the runner-up finish while Matt Kuchar placed third at 14-under. Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth’s struggles continued as he fell apart in the final round with six bogeys in the final round to fall to T-18th at 10-under. Spieth has followed up a runner-up finish at The Masters with a missed cut at The Players Championship and a T-18th at the Byron Nelson and suddenly there are a lot of questions surrounding the former world No. 1 and how long it will take before he can regain his elite form.
Top 10 Scores From AT&T Byron Nelson Championship
Sergio Garcia -15
Brooks Koepka -15
Matt Kuchar -14
Colt Knost -13
Spencer Levin -13
Charles Howell III -13
Robert Garrigus -13
Tim Wilkinson -13
Bud Cauley -13
Justin Hicks -12
Irish Open
European Tour
While one former world No. 1 struggled to find his game on Sunday, another absolutely dominated as Rory McIlroy finished with a flourish to win his first-career Irish Open title. It was a sweet weekend for McIlroy, who went back home and managed to get the win in front of his hometown fans. There was pressure on him to get the job done as he was the favorite going in, but he delivered.
The tournament host birdied on 16 and then fired an eagle on 18 to send the crowd roaring in his home country and finish with a three-shot victory over Russell Knox Bradley Dredge. It was an impressive turnaround for McIlroy after he failed to make the cut at this event in each of the last three years and the strong performance is being talked about as a sign of things to come moving forward. Other notable finishes at the Irish Open include Martin Kaymer finishing T-5th at 6-under and Rafael Cabrera Bello finishing tied T-8th at 6-under.
Top 10 Scores From The Irish Open
Rory McIlroy -12
Bradley Dredge -9
Russell Knox -9
Matthew Southgate -8
Tyrrell Hatton -6
Martin Kaymer -6
Maximilian Kieffer -6
Rafa Cabrera Bello -5
Eddie Pepperell -5
Gergory Bourdy -4
Kingsmill Championship
LPGA Tour
Stop the presses: Lydia Ko didn’t win an LPGA tournament. Ariya Jutanugarn continued her dominance on the LPGA with a win at the Kingsmill Championship over the weekend. She’s been stellar in golf fantasy this season. The 20-year-old shot a nearly mistake-free 4-under 67 on Sunday to make history with her second consecutive victory. Jutanugarn became the first Thai winner in LPGA Tour history to win an event two weeks ago and she held her own down the stretch to deliver another victory this week, playing the entire tournament without a three-putt. Su-Hyun Oh finished second at 13-under while Gerina Piller and Sei Young Kim tied for 3rd at 12-under. The biggest surprise of the weekend might have been Lydia Ko’s struggles as she finished 18th at 6-under. The world No. 1 has followed up back-to-back wins at the Kia Classic and ANA Inspiration with a T-23rd at the Lotte Championship, a T-6th at the Swirling Skirts LPGA Classic and a T-18th this past weekend.
Top 10 Scores From The Kingsmill Championship
Ariya Jutanugarn -14
Su Oh -13
Sei Young Kim -12
Gerina Piller -12
Mi Jung Hur -10
Lexi Thompson -10
Pornanong Phatlum -10
Anna Nordqvist -9
Brittany Lincicome -9
Caroline Masson -8
