Wise cruises at Byron Nelson for first victory on PGA Tour

Aaron Wise holds up the trophy after winning the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament in Dallas, Sunday, May 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Aaron Wise holds up the trophy after winning the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament in Dallas, Sunday, May 20, 2018. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

DALLAS - Aaron Wise strolled up the 18th fairway at Trinity Forest Golf Club in the fading twilight Sunday, lifting his hat over his head a couple of times as the thinned-out crowd cheered what would soon be his first PGA Tour victory.

The 21-year-old rookie pulled away from Marc Leishman at the turn after a four-hour rain delay to start the final round of the AT&T Byron Nelson. Then it was just a race to finish before nightfall so he wouldn't have to wait at least another 12 hours to celebrate.

Wise shattered the tournament record at 23-under-par 261, closing with a 6-under 65 to beat Leishman by three strokes as both became the first to finish the Nelson at 20 under or better. Leishman – a 34-year-old Australian who shared the third-round lead with Wise after having sole possession of first place the first two days - closed with 68.

The treeless links-style layout, located a few miles south of downtown Dallas, was defenseless with softer fairways and greens and no wind once the morning storms passed.

The tournament celebrated its 50th anniversary with a return to Dallas after 35 years at the TPC Four Seasons in nearby suburban Irving. Rory Sabbatini set the previous record on that par-70 layout at 19-under 261 in 2009.

"It's everything I've dreamed of," said Wise, who won once each on the Web.com and Canadian tours. "I felt like when it rained today I was really going to tear the course up just because it allowed me to hit driver, which is my strength. I got a lot of short irons in my hand and was able to make a lot birdies."

Branden Grace matched his career-best 62 from last year's British Open - which was the lowest round ever in a major - and finished at 19 under to share third with Baylor School graduate Keith Mitchell and J.J. Spaun, who had matching 63s.

Mitchell, a tour rookie who has excelled early in several tournaments, was happy with his strong finish.

"I've played some good Sundays, but it's been when I'm really far back," Mitchell told the Golf Channel. "I played a great Sunday in the Dominican, but that's really it. Just to play four solid rounds this week is huge for my confidence the rest of the season."

Hometown star Jordan Spieth again couldn't improve on his best Nelson finish from his first start as a 16-year-old amateur in 2010. The three-time major winner - and highest-ranked player in the field at No. 3 - shot a 67 to finish at 11 under as he tied for 21st.

Instead, Spieth has been joined by another 21-and-under winner, with Wise cruising a month shy of his 22nd birthday and two weeks after the 2016 NCAA individual champion at Oregon tied for second at the Wells Fargo Championship, two shots behind Jason Day.

Spieth doesn't have a top-10 finish in eight Nelson appearances, the most of any tournament for him.

"Felt like I played better than I scored," Spieth said. "Typically when you say that, it just means putts didn't go in."

Mitchell and Ryan Blaum had matching 30s on the front nine, with both playing the last six holes on that side in 5 under. But Wise had five birdies over those six holes, and he added one on the 10th while Leishman bogeyed.

His lead suddenly at four shots, Wise cruised from there without another par - and didn't need one. Blaum's run of five straight birdies ended with a bogey at 10, one of three on the back nine for him. He shot 66 and finished at 16 under to share sixth with Kevin Na (68) and Jimmy Walker (67).

Athens, Tennessee, native Eric Axley (68) tied for 42nd at 8 under.

Jimenez fired up

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Miguel Angel Jimenez finally got to light a victory cigar after a senior major championship.

Jimenez won the Regions Tradition for his first PGA Tour Champions major title, closing with a 2-under 70 to finish at 19-under 269 and win by three strokes.

He celebrated with a big embrace from fellow Spaniard and two-time Masters winner Jose Maria Olazabal, who hoisted him in the air, and after a round of photos and speeches from local dignitaries, Jimenez finally got to break out the celebratory cigar.

"It's time to have a medal in my pocket, and it's nice to be on the first major of the year," said Jimenez, who had twice before entered the final round of a senior major with at least a share of the lead.

Jimenez held or shared the lead after every round at Greystone Golf & Country Club, taking a three-shot edge into the final round on the way to his fifth PGA Tour Champions victory.

Joe Durant (69) Gene Sauers (69) and Steve Stricker (70) tied for second, while Jeff Maggert (64), Scott McCarron (67) and Duffy Waldorf (66) shared fifth another stroke back.

Playoff settles LPGA

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn birdied the second hole of a playoff to win the Kingsmill Championship for the second time in three years.

The 22-year-old Jutanugarn closed with a 5-under 66 to match Nasa Hataoka (67) and In Gee Chun (68) at 14-under 199. The tournament was cut from 72 holes to 54 when rain washed out play Saturday on Kingsmill Resort's River Course.

Jutanugarn and Hataoka both birdied the first extra hole, with Chun dropping out. Hataoka putted first on the second extra hole and missed badly before Jutanugarn rolled in a 15-footer for her eighth career victory.

Brooke Henderson (65) was fourth at 13 under, with Megan Khang (67) another stroke back for fifth.

Otaegui last standing

ANTWERP, Belgium - Adrian Otaegui survived three nine-hole knockout stroke-play matches Sunday to win the inaugural Belgian Knockout.

Otaegui, 25, beat fellow Spaniard Jorge Campillo 1 under to 1 over in the quarterfinals, topped Scotland's David Drysdale 3 under to 1 over and then won against France's Benjamin Hebert, 3 under to 1 under, for his second European Tour victory.

In the third-place match, Drysdale beat England's James Heath 1 under to par.

The tournament at Rinkven International Golf Club started with 144 players and two rounds of stroke play to cut the field to 64 before six rounds of knockout matches.

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