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A22 sports
Monday 4 noveMber 2019
McIlroy wins HSBC Champions in a playoff over Schauffele

By DOUG FERGUSON needed it, which was really
AP Golf Writer cool."
SHANGHAI (AP) — Given McIlroy moves a little closer
another shot at winning to Brooks Koepka at No. 1 in
the HSBC Champions, Rory the world with one tourna-
McIlroy delivered his best of ment left, the DP World Tour
the day. Championship in Dubai the
Even though he never week before Thanksgiving
trailed over the last 14 holes to close out what already
Sunday, and he didn't has been a special year.
make a bogey all week- This is the fourth time Mc-
end, McIlroy felt fortunate Ilroy has won at least four
to be standing on the tee times in a season.
at the par-5 18th in a play- He cannot catch Koepka
off with defending cham- this year even if McIlroy
pion Xander Schauffele. were to win in Dubai.
On the final hole in regu- "I'm getting there," McIl-
lation, McIlroy thought his roy said. "This win definitely
drive was in the water, re- helps and if I can get an-
lieved to find it was a foot other win by the end of the
from the red hazard line. year, I'll be feeling pretty
After five hours of an ex- good going into 2020."
quisite battle among Mc- "You just can't give away
Ilroy, Schauffele and Louis Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland raises the trophy after winning the HSBC Champions golf holes," Oosthuizen said.
Oosthuizen, the pivotal mo- tournament at the Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. McIlroy took a two-shot
ment was when Schauffele Associated Press lead with a bit of fortune on
reached into a hat on the and I've got a lot of great it off. I would have much missed a 12-foot birdie putt. the par-5 14th. His second
18th tee for a white slip of memories to draw back on. rather played a par 3 for a McIlroy won for the fourth shot landed near the back
paper with "2'' written on it. There's so many shots that playoff. He's the best driver time this year. It was his pin but bounced hard into
That meant McIlroy would I've hit under pressure that in our game. Couldn't be third World Golf Champion- thick rough. His chip looked
go first in the playoff. I can draw on." happier for him. Like I said, ships title, and his first since to be running some 10 feet
And there was no doubt He added another one at I played great all week, the Match Play at Harding by the hole, except that it
about his next two shots. Sheshan International. fought. It was nice to have Park in 2015. hit the pin and left him a
He followed a soaring drive And he needed every a chance." "Xander pushed me the short birdie putt.
down the middle of the one of them to hold off McIlroy did everything right, whole way, or all 73 holes More fortune awaited on
fairway with a 4-iron from a bold performance by closing with a 4-under 68 we played together this the 18th hole. One shot
223 yards into the wind to Schauffele, who spent and going bogey-free over week," McIlroy said. "We ahead of Schauffele, who
25 feet that set up a two- four days trying to recover the last 39 holes he played. played every round. He was in the fairway, McIlroy
putt birdie for the victory. from the flu and nearly left Schauffele made him do played great. He was bat- went right and watched
"If anything over the last Shanghai as the only player a little more with birdies on tling a flu all week, wasn't the ball bound off the hill
few years ... for the most to win back-to-back in the two of the last four holes for feeling his best, and so the and settle in thick rough a
part, I've been able to get HSBC Champions. a 66 to force a playoff at caliber of golf he played foot from the red hazard
the best out of myself when "I tried my best. Played 19-under 269. That was as this week, it takes some do- line. He punched out to the
I've needed it, and that's great," Schauffele said. "I close as it got. Schauffele ing. He birdied the last to fairway, but his approach
been a learning curve for beat him on the day just tugged his tee shot into get into the playoff, and was 25 feet short and he
me," McIlroy said. "But I've to get in a playoff, and un- thick rough near a bun- then I produced two of the missed a birdie putt for the
had enough experiences, fortunately I couldn't pull ker, laid up and narrowly best shots of the day when I win.q
Defending champ Korda wins

LPGA Swinging Skirts in playoff

Korda and Minjee Lee “It just gets away from you son said. “Super proud of
both birdied the final hole so fast,” Korda said. “And the way we played and
of regulation to finish at Caroline made a couple battled.” In the playoff on
18-under 270 and force a putts and she was one the par-5 18th, Korda was
playoff with Caroline Mas- ahead of me on 17. I was the only one to find the
son, who shot a 68. like, geez, I have to make fairway and hit a perfect
Korda, who started the a birdie here.” second shot to set up an
final round with a three- Masson took the lead af- eagle chance. She left
stroke lead over Lee (69), ter back-to-back bird- the eagle putt short, but
looked set to win in regu- ies on Nos. 15 and 16 but a birdie was enough for
lation after a birdie on the closed with par on the fi- her to win her third career
Nelly Korda of the United States poses with her trophy after par-5 No. 12 gave her a nal two holes. “I did have LPGA title.
winning the LPGA Swinging Skirts at the Miramar Golf Country three-shot lead. But she a couple chances to get Brooke Henderson shot
Club in New Taipei City, Taiwan, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019. bogeyed three of her final maybe two ahead on 17 a 68 to finish regulation
Associated Press five holes to fall one stroke and make birdie on 18, tied for fourth, four strokes
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — De- of a three-way playoff on back of Masson before and didn’t use them, but back with South Koreans
fending champion Nelly Sunday to win the LPGA a birdie on 18 gave her I think overall, I just hung Sei Young Kim and Mi Jung
Korda birdied the first hole Swinging Skirts. even-par 72. with them all day,” Mas- Hur.q