Russell Knox nicknamed himself “The Beast” after playing two good rounds at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn.
He doubled down on that Sunday after sinking a 12-foot putt on the final hole to save par and beat hometown favorite Jerry Kelly by a stroke.
“I felt like the Incredible Hulk when it went in,” Knox said. “I could have ripped my shirt off.”
Knox closed with a 2-under 68 for a 14-under 266 total at TPC River Highlands. The 31-year-old Scot won for the second time on the tour, following his breakthrough victory in China in November in the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.
Kelly, the 49-year-old former University of Hartford player, finished with a 64.
Knox opened with consecutive 67s and had a 64 on Saturday. He took the lead with birdies at 13 and 14. He bogeyed the par-3 16th, and missed a chance to seal it on the par-3 17th when his 20-foot birdie putt stopped an inch right of the hole.
The Scot hit his tee shot on the par-4 18th right and into the crowd, and his second shot into a green-side bunker below the hole. He pitched out short of the hole, setting up a putt that went straight into the hole. He didn’t tear his shirt off, but did send his hat flying in celebration.
“Everybody dreams of making a putt on the last hole to win a tournament,” he said. “I just kept telling myself, this is your chance to make a putt to have a great celebration and hear the roars. I’m glad it went in.”
Justin Thomas was almost an afterthought despite shooting a 62 and stringing together five straight birdies to close out the front nine. He finished with nine birdies on the day and at 12 under for the tournament, tied with Patrick Rodgers for third place. Rodgers shot a 68.
PGA Tour Champions
Joe Durant made a 10-foot eagle putt on the first hole of a playoff with Miguel Angel Jimenez to win the PGA Tour Champions’ 3M Championship in Blaine, Minn.
The 52-year-old Durant won on the par-5 18th after closing with a birdie on the hole in regulation for a 9-under 63. After a double bogey on the par-4 14th, Jimenez birdied the last four holes for a 67 to match Durant at 19-under 197 at TPC Twins Cities.
Jimenez birdied the 18th in the playoff, too, before Durant rolled in the right-to-left winner.
Durant won for the second time on the 50-and-over tour and the first by himself after teaming with Billy Andrade to win the Legends of Golf last year. Durant won the last of his four PGA Tour titles at Walt Disney World in 2006.
Two-time winner Bernhard Langer birdied six of the first seven holes in a 64 to tie for third with Kevin Sutherland (68) at 17 under. Langer has broken par in all 24 of his rounds in the event.
Two-time defending champion Kenny Perry had a 68 to tie for 37th at 7 under.
U.S. Women’s Amateur
South Korea’s Eun Jeong Seong won the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Rolling Green in Springfield, Pa., to become the first player to win the event and U.S. Girls’ Junior in the same year.
The 16-year-old Seong outlasted Italy’s Virginia Elena Carta 1 up in hot conditions in the 36-hole final, the first all-international championship match in 106 years.
The 19-year-old Carta, coming off her freshman season at Duke, overcame a dizzy spell that forced a 15-minute delay after the 31st hole. She was trying to become the second player to win the tournament and NCAA individual title in the same year.
Seong won her second straight U.S. Girls’ Junior title last month at Ridgewood in New Jersey.
The finalists earned spots in the U.S. Women’s Open next year at Trump National in New Jersey, and the winner also traditionally receives exemptions into the ANA Inspiration, Women’s British Open and Evian Championship — all only if still an amateur.
Seong took the lead with a birdie on the par-5 25th hole and won the par-4 29th with a birdie for a 2-up advantage. Carta took the par-4 31st with a par to Seong’s double bogey, and Seong rebounded with a par win on the par-3 34th. Carta won the par-5 35th with a 30-foot birdie putt, and Seong missed a chance to end it when her 10-footer burned the right edge. Seong ran in a 40-footer for birdie on the par-4 36th and conceded Carta’s 25-footer to close out the match.
European Tour
England’s Anthony Wall won his first European Tour title in more than 16 years, beating Sweden’s Alex Noren 1 up in the final of the Paul Lawrie Match Play in Scotland.
The 41-year-old Wall’s only previous title was at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in 2000 — 16 years, 204 days ago.