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Bubba Watson wins Match Play final in a runaway

The Associated Press
March 26, 2018 at 4:03AM
Bubba Watson reacts after missing a putt on the fifth green during the final round at the Dell Technologies Match Play golf tournament, Sunday, March 25, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
A missed putt on the fifth green could not derail Bubba Watson in his 7-and-6 victory over Kevin Kisner in the Match Play final. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Bubba Watson won the World Golf Championships Match Play title on Sunday with the biggest blowout since the final match switched to 18 holes in 2011, a 7-and-6 victory over Kevin Kisner in Austin, Texas.

Watson wasn't as sharp as he was in the semifinals against Justin Thomas, whom he beat in 16 holes to deny Thomas going to No. 1 in the world ranking. He didn't have to be in the final. If not for missing a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 sixth, Watson would have won the first seven holes.

Kisner had a lot to do with that. After escaping in 19 holes against Alex Noren in his semifinal match, Kisner didn't put up much of a fight. He made four straight bogeys and only twice on the front nine was putting for birdie.

Watson never trailed in the 28 holes he played Sunday, and he was never seriously threatened.

Noren beat Thomas in the consolation match 5 and 3.

Ace leads to LPGA victory

Eun-Hee Ji had a hole-in-one to dramatically finish off Cristie Kerr and the other challengers in the Kia Classic in Carlsbad, Calif.

Her lead cut from four strokes to one, Ji aced the 156-yard 14th with a 7-iron, the ball bouncing and rolling into the hole, to push her advantage to three shots.

Ji finished with a 5-under 67 for a two-stroke victory over Kerr and Lizette Salas.

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Ji finished at 16-under 272. The 31-year-old South Korean player earned $270,000 and two Kia cars, a Sorento for the hole-in-one and a Stinger for the victory.

Stricker wins again

Steve Stricker pulled away on the back nine at Fallen Oak in Biloxi, Miss., to win the Rapiscan Systems Classic for his second straight PGA Tour Champions victory.

The 51-year-old Wisconsin native closed with a 4-under 68, birdieing all four par-5 holes. He finished at 11-under 205 for a three-stroke victory over Billy Andrade.

Stricker is playing the PGA Tour event in Houston next week, needing a victory to get into the Masters.

First-time PGA Tour winner

Brice Garnett completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic for his first PGA Tour title. The 34-year-old Garnett closed with a 2-under 70 to finish at 18-under 270.

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