Page 20 - AT

A20 SPORTS
Monday 13 May 2019

Kang rallies again at Byron

Nelson for 1st PGA Tour victory

By STEPHEN HAWKINS 23-footer on the 15th hole, the middle of the fairway
AP Sports Writer Kang finally regained the before what he called “just
DALLAS (AP) — Sung Kang lead for good on a 27- a terrible shot” on his ap-
was a teenager when his hole Mother’s Day Sunday proach that set up a three-
father started sending him at Trinity Forest — about putt for bogey.
from South Korea to North 30 minutes from his home “I watched him for 72
Texas in the winters and in Coppell, where he has holes. He didn’t miss. Hard
summers to work on his golf lived since his PGA Tour de- to beat,” Every said.
game. but in 2011. Every finished with a 66.
The 31-year-old Kang, who “It just feels amazing. I was Piercy, also in the final
now lives in the area while thinking about winning on threesome, ended a bo-
playing on the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour when I was gey-free tournament with
got to call his father Sun- real young and watching a 64.
day to tell him, “I did it,” af- Tiger dominating,” Kang Twice over the last two
ter his getting his first victory said. “My dad gave me a days, Every overcame def-
in his 159th career start. lot of support when I was icits of at least four strokes
Kang closed the Byron Nel- young.” and went ahead of Kang.
son with a 4-under 67 to Kang pumped his fist when They played together all
finish at 23 under and beat the birdie dropped in at four rounds.
Matt Every and Scott Piercy No. 15, making for a two- “First two rounds, we’re
Sung Kang, winner of the Byron Nelson golf tournament, poses
for a photo with his caddy Jason Shortall who kisses the trophy by two strokes. stroke swing. Every, who not playing to win. We’re
on Sunday, May 12, 2019, in Dallas. With three consecutive started that 431-yard par just making birdies back
Associated Press birdies late, including a 4 tied for the lead, was in and forth, and back and
forth. Just getting great
momentum,” said Kang,
who matched the course
record with a 61 in the sec-
ond round Friday. “Then
Saturday and Sunday, it’s
going. ... He played great
on the front nine. I played
great on the back nine.”
Brooks Koepka, the world’s
No. 3-ranked player who
now goes to Bethpage to
defend his PGA Champi-
onship title, finished fourth
at the Nelson at 20 under
after a 68.
“Sometimes you just get
beat. That happened
this week,” Koepka said.
“Played good. I like my
chances next week. I feel
like I’m striking it well, put-
ting it really well. ... It was
important going into next
week.” Koepka has also
won the last two U.S. Opens
since his last previous ap-
pearance at the Nelson, in
2017 when the tournament
was last played TPC Four
Seasons. Jordan Spieth, a
member at the links-style
course south of down-
town Dallas, shot a 71 to
tie for 29th at 11 under.
His best Nelson finish is still
a tie for 16th in 2010 when
he played in the tourna-
ment for the first time as a
16-year-old amateur on a
sponsor exemption.
Spieth is still without a top-
20 finish in his 13 starts this
season. He last won at the
2017 British Open, his third
major victory.q