GOLF DIGEST: WOMEN: Japan's Ai Miyazato won the Evian Masters with a birdie at the first play-off hole against Sweden's Sophie Gustafson at Evian Masters Golf Club in France.
After hitting her second shot into the bunker on the 477-yard par five 18th hole in the play-off, she rolled in a three-foot birdie putt to claim her first LPGA/ Ladies European Tour victory.
The 24-year-old from Okinawa became the second Japanese winner of the Evian Masters 12 years after Hiromi Kobayashi won the event in a play-off in 1997.
“I feel very happy at the moment. I was dreaming about this when I was young, so my dream has almost come true. I feel great,” said Miyazato, who earned a first prize of €341,249.
“I didn’t watch the score board until the end of the final round. I was just trying to make birdies and I tried to control myself.”
Miyazato recorded rounds of 69, 66, 70 and 69 for a total of 14-under-par 274.
She sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th in regulation play to reach that score, before Gustafson tapped in for birdie to join her.
US TOUR: Mark Calcavecchia reeled off a PGA Tour record nine straight birdies on a wild day at the weather-hit Canadian Open on Saturday, but it was Jason Dufner who took the midway lead with the round of the day.
After two days of almost steady rain softened up the Glen Abbey course, golfers went on the attack and Dufner stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a nine-under 63 in the second round, one stroke off the course record set by Greg Norman in 1986.
Calcavecchia, the 2005 champion, played the back nine first and started his day with pars at 10 and 11, then fired nine consecutive birdies on his way to a seven-under 65.
His string of nine birdies was one better than the previous record shared by six golfers.
“It was exciting, it’s just fun to hit good shots every hole,” said Calcavecchia, who had his wife on his bag at the British Open but switched caddies this week in favour of 15-year-old son Eric.
“Am I disappointed in a 65? Yeah, a little bit. I played the last seven holes two over, but if you told me I was going to make nine birdies and shoot seven under I would have taken it.”
CHALLENGE TOUR: Rhys Davies gave Welsh golf the perfect result at the Vale Hotel Golf and Spa Resort on the outskirts of Cardiff when he beat England's James Morrison at the third hole of a play-off to win the Wales Challenge.
Having holed a testing 10-foot putt for par to join Morrison in the extra holes drama, the 24-year-old from Bridgend repeated the feat on the first return to the 18th green moments later, before taking the title in front of his adoring public at the third time of asking after the Englishman pushed his approach shot into the water hazard.
“It is a fantastic feeling to win my first Challenge Tour event and, obviously, it is that little bit more extra special given the fact that I’ve done it here in Wales,” said Davies, who pocketed the €24,000 first prize.
VAGLIANO TROPHY: The 14-year-old Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, from the Slieve Russell club in Co Cavan, more than justified their record-making debuts for Britain and Ireland by coming out as the top points-collectors in skipper Mary McKenna's squad in the 13-11 defeat by the Continent of Europe in the weather-hit Vagliano Trophy match which ended at a sodden Hamburger course in Falkenstein in northern Germany on Saturday.
Lisa and Leona had identical records in Germany – it had to be, hadn’t it – of two wins, one halved match and one loss each – to give them two-and-a-half points out of four.
The next best points earners for B&I, who “won” the second day’s play against the Continent 6½ to 5½, were England’s Rachel Jennings and Wales’ Rhian Wyn Thomas with two points apiece.
