Golf roundup: Koepka moves to No. 1 in world

Brooks Koepka tracks his shot on the 18th hole during Sunday's final round of the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island in South Korea. Koepka made eagle on the par-5 hole and posted a four-stroke victory.
Brooks Koepka tracks his shot on the 18th hole during Sunday's final round of the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island in South Korea. Koepka made eagle on the par-5 hole and posted a four-stroke victory.

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea - Brooks Koepka was fresh off celebrating being named the PGA Tour's top player last season.

Now he's No. 1 in the World Golf Ranking.

Koepka, a 28-year-old American with three career major championships, ascended to the top spot for the first time via a four-stroke victory Sunday in the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges.

Koepka, who displaced Dustin Johnson at No. 1, closed with an 8-under-par 64 to finish at 21-under 267 overall. And he showed his ability to handle the pressure by finishing with the same advantage he had after 54 holes, despite a final-round push by Gary Woodland.

"To be number one is something I've dreamed of as a kid," Koepka said. "I don't think this one is going to sink in."

Woodland certainly made it interesting. He started the day five strokes behind Koepka but pulled even with the leader after making six birdies in seven holes on the front nine.

The two dueled on the back nine, with Woodland making birdies on 15 and 16 to catch Koepka again. But Koepka did the same, and a bogey by Woodland on the par-3 17th gave Koepka the cushion he needed to close out the win despite a birdie on the 18th by Woodland.

The biggest moment came on the 16th. Koepka went from a fairway bunker to just left of the green, about 70 feet away from the hole. Koepka hit a chip-and-run shot that was stopped by the pin and dropped in for the birdie.

Koepka, who had eight birdies and two bogeys in the round, finished in style with a 25-foot eagle putt on the 18th to wrap up a back-nine 7-under 29, his 12th win worldwide and the No. 1 ranking.

"I'm not somebody who's going to panic if things go the wrong way," Koepka said of his slow start. "I felt like the one at 15 was quite big with Gary making a charge."

Woodland made 11 birdies on the way to his closing 63. Ryan Palmer birdied his last seven holes to shoot a course-record 62 and share third place with Rafa Cabrera Bello (65), four strokes behind Koepka.

"Brooks with the lead, not much fazes him," Woodland said. "So you knew you had to make a lot of birdies, and I made a lot today. I was trying to put as much pressure as I could. But just shows I was too far back to start after not making too many putts yesterday."

Justin Thomas, who could have prevented Koepka from moving to No. 1 by repeating as the tournament's winner, closed with a 68 and tied for 36th at 5 under.

Koepka is the third player this year to reach No. 1 for the first time, joining Justin Rose and Thomas. The last time that happened was in 1997, when Ernie Els, Tom Lehman and Tiger Woods each rose to No. 1.

Baylor School graduate Keith Mitchell (68) missed a top-10 finish by a stroke, tying for 14th at 9 under. He is off to a good start in his second PGA Tour season, having earned $235,850 and 93 points in the FedEx Cup standings after two starts in 2018-19.

Austin by a shot

RICHMOND, Va. - Woody Austin shot a 3-under 69 for a one-stroke victory over Bernhard Langer in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic, the opening tournament of the PGA Tour Champions' Charles Schwab Cup playoffs.

Austin finished at 11-under 205 at The Country Club of Virginia's James River Course. The 54-year-old won his fourth senior tour title and first since 2016.

Langer, the tournament's 2017 winner and the season points leader, closed with a 70.

Second-round leader Jay Haas (74), Kent Jones (70) and Fran Quinn (69) tied for third at 9 under. Haas, 64, missed a chance to become the oldest winner on the 50-and-older circuit.

The top 54 players in the standings move on to the Invesco QQQ Championship that starts Thursday in Thousand Oaks, California, and the top 36 after that will advance to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship on Nov. 9-11 in Phoenix.

Kang's second win

SHANGHAI - Danielle Kang won the Buick LPGA Shanghai for her second career title, closing with a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over seven players.

Kang finished at 13-under 275 at Qizhong Garden Golf Club. The 26-year-old American also won the 2017 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, a major.

Sharing second were Marina Alex (67), Brittany Altomare (71), Ariya Jutanugarn (71), Lydia Ko (66), Wenbo Liu (68), Annie Park (67) and Sei Young Kim (72).

Delayed in Spain

SOTOGRANDE, Spain - Tournament host Sergio Garcia had a three-shot lead with 11 holes to play when the Andalucia Valderrama Masters was suspended because of heavy rain and the threat of lightning.

Play was set to resume today in the event already cut from 72 to 54 holes.

The tournament winner last year and in 2011, the Spanish star was 10 under at Valderrama Golf Club, with England's Lee Westwood second with 10 holes to go.

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