Rookie earns close-shave first victory at Barbasol

Grayson Murray tees off on the fourth hole in the final round of the Barbasol Championship golf tournament, Sunday, July 23, 2017, in Opelika, Ala.
Grayson Murray tees off on the fourth hole in the final round of the Barbasol Championship golf tournament, Sunday, July 23, 2017, in Opelika, Ala.

OPELIKA, Ala. -- Rookie Grayson Murray won the Barbasol Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, holing a 5-foot par putt on the final hole for a one-stroke victory.

Murray closed with a 3-under 68 to edge Chad Collins on Grand National's Lake Course. The 23-year-old former Wake Forest and Arizona State player set up the winning par with a 40-plus foot putt from below the hole. He finished at 21-under 263.

"I was in control," said Murray, who nabbed $630,000 for the victory. "I didn't get out of my game plan once. I was going to let them make the mistakes instead of myself. I was going to make them have to birdie the last hole, or the last few holes. I was playing for par on 17 and 18. I knew if I parred those, they'd have to do something special to beat me."

Murray missed the cut last week at the John Deere Classic and arrived in Alabama on Sunday to prepare. It paid off, the win securing him a spot in the PGA Championship in his home state of North Carolina though not the Masters.

Brian Gay had a 65 to tie for third at 19 under with third-round leader Scott Stallings (71) and former Arkansas Razorback Tag Ridings (69). Each won $182,000.

Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk, who didn't qualify for the British Open, finished at 11 under after a third consecutive 68.

The final round started early on two tees because of a bad weather forecast, but the conditions held steady in sweltering heat.

Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) finished the tournament in a tie for 55th at 8 under and won $7,945.

LPGA TOUR

Kim wins second of 2017

SYLVANIA, Ohio -- In-Kyung Kim rallied to win the Marathon Classic on Sunday to become the second two-time winner this season on the LPGA Tour.

Two strokes behind 18-year-old Nelly Korda entering the round, Kim birdied six of the first nine holes and finished with an 8-under 63 for a four-stroke victory over Lexi Thompson.

Kim also won the ShopRite LPGA Classic in June in New Jersey. The six-time LPGA Tour winner joined fellow South Korean player So Yeon Ryu as the only multiple winners this season.

Stacy Lewis (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot a 2-under 69 and finished tied for 45th at 4 under, good enough for $6,206. Emily Rubert (Razorbacks) slipped back Sunday, shooting a 75 to finish tied for 53rd at 2 under. She won $4,972.

WEB.COM TOUR

Ryder in a runaway

Sam Ryder had no problems Sunday finishing off the Pinnacle Bank Championship at the Club at Indian Creek in Omaha, Neb.

Ryder shot a 4-under 67 to finish at 21 under and win the tournament over four others eight strokes behind, including former Arkansas Razorback Andrew Landry who on $39,600 for his tie for second place.

Austin Cook (Jonesboro, Razorbacks) was two strokes behind that at 11 under and won $18,075. Sebastian Cappelen (Razorbacks) finished at 8 under for $7,824, a stroke ahead of Zack Fischer (Little Rock) who pocketed $4,997. Matt Atkins (Henderson State) was 7 under and won $2,952.

Sports on 07/24/2017

Upcoming Events