Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 2 april 2019
Kevin Kisner gets it right at Dell Technologies Match Play

By DOUG FERGUSON took it from there. He made
AP Golf Writer putts from 6 feet and 4
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Kevin feet to halve holes, and
Kisner can’t think of anoth- seized control on the 15th
er tournament that made when Kuchar’s chip was
him grind so hard. too strong and led to an-
He began the Dell Technol- other lost hole. “It’s tough
ogies Match Play with a loss to maintain the high level
in the opening round. He of play the entire tourna-
had to play 120 holes over ment,” Kuchar said. “You
five days. Three matches hope to do it and I feel like
were decided on the 18th I’ve kind of built a game
hole. He had to play three that I could rely on playing
sudden-death playoff holes some good, steady golf.
just to get to the weekend. But I gave too many holes
And on Sunday morning, away. I knew against Kisner
he faced a cold wind that I couldn’t do it, and he just
made temperatures feel plodded along ... and let
like the upper 30s. me make mistakes. And
It all felt worth it when he that was good playing by
made good on his second Kevin.”
try at winning golf’s most Kisner became the first
unpredictable tournament. player to win the Match
Kisner outlasted British Kevin Kisner, right, holds his trophy presented by Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, after Play with a loss during the
Open champion Frances- he defeated Matt Kuchar in the finals at the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship golf round-robin portion, which
co Molinari in the semifinals, tournament, Sunday, March 31, 2019, in Austin, Texas. began in 2015. That felt like
and then let Matt Kuchar Associated Press an eternity ago when he
make the untimely mistakes tournament on the mini- ing in the championship Last year wasn’t close, as posed in front of the trophy,
Sunday afternoon until Kis- tours, and when his bank match the previous year. Bubba Watson raced out the sixth straight victory for
ner closed him out with a account reached $40,000, “If you’d have told me I’d to a big lead and ended an American in these World
20-foot putt for a 3-and-2 he thought he was rich. be sitting here 10 years the match on the 12th hole. Golf Championships.
victory. “Grueling, not only The lesson along the way: ago, I would probably have Kisner never trailed against Kisner first had to get
from the mental side, but Make putts or lose money. said you were crazy,” Kis- Kuchar, which didn’t make past British Open cham-
the physical side,” Kisner That’s what works at the ner said. “I think it shows in it any easier. Kuchar had a pion Francesco Molinari,
said. “A lot of golf and a lot Match Play, and he deliv- my grind. That’s what I do. 12-foot putt to win his sec- so dominant that he had
of stressful holes and stress- ered enough key moments I’ve had ups and downs ond straight hole and tie never played the 18th hole
ful putts.” to capture the biggest win throughout it. I’ve won on the match on No. 10, with in five previous matches
Kisner, who won $1,745,000 of his career. every tour, every level. And momentum sure to follow. this week. Molinari birdied
for his first World Golf Cham- “It was a long week. I pre- had tremendous downfalls He missed, and on his the 16th and 17th holes to
pionships title, recalls his fa- vailed. And I’m a world golf on every tour and every next swing, Kuchar put tie the match, but on the
ther staking him $16,000 to champion,” Kisner said. level. So I pride myself in the his tee shot in the water 18th, the Italian three-putt-
see if he could make it as a He became the first player way I pick myself up and on the par-3 11th. Kisner, ed from 25 feet above the
pro golfer. He won his third to win Match Play after los- keep grinding.” equipped with a 2-up lead, hole as Kisner advanced.q

Nasa Hataoka wins Kia Classic

for 3rd LPGA Tour victory

a translator. “Until the 18th Saturday to pull within a a chance for her 20th
hole, anything could hap- stroke of Inbee Park enter- LPGA Tour victory. “Just
pen, but I was just very ing the final round in the unfortunate day with the
relieved that my second final event before the ma- putter,” she said. “Never
shot landed on the putting jor ANA Inspiration at Mis- wanted to go in. Just one
surface.”After driving left sion Hills in Rancho Mirage. of those days. I just have to
into the water en route to “Big tournament coming take it. I think it’s still a very
a bogey on the par-4 16th, up next week, so I’ll cele- good momentum going
Hataoka hit a sand wedge brate a little bit but get my into next week.”
Nasa Hataoka, of Japan, poses with the winner trophy after
winning the Kia Classic LPGA golf tournament, Sunday, March to a foot for birdie on the mind refreshed and start Sung Hyun Park also shot
31, 2019, in Carlsbad, Calif. par-5 17th and closed with again next week,” Hatao- 71. Ko and Kang had 65s,
Associated Press a par on the par-4 18th. ka said. and Munoz a 68. Ko won
CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) — victory over playing part- “I forgot about the bo- “She played really solid,” the Founders Cup last
Nasa Hataoka won the Kia ner Inbee Park, top-ranked gey very quickly,” she Inbee Park said. week in Phoenix.
Classic on Sunday at Avi- Sung Hyun Park, Jin Young said. “I knew that 17 was “Didn’t really look like she Hyo Joo Kim matched
ara Golf Club for her third Ko, Azahara Munoz and a chance I could make was feeling the pressure, the course record with a
victory in her last 16 LPGA Danielle Kang. a birdie, and just very re- especially in the way she 62 to tie for seventh at 14
Tour starts. “First couple days I wasn’t lieved and felt great that played the last hole. Just under. She parred the first
The 20-year-old Japanese putting very well so I didn’t I was able to actually get very smart.” five holes, then played the
player closed with a 5-un- really think I could pull this a birdie.” Winless in 12 months, In- final 13 in 10 under with an
der 67 for a three-stroke off,” Hataoka said through Hataoka shot a 64 on bee Park had a 71 to miss eagle on 16.q