Fox wins Canadian Open with ‘best shot I’ve ever hit’ in playoff

GOLF ROUNDUP

Ryan Fox raises the championship trophy after winning the RBC Canadian Open in Caledon, Ontario, on Sunday. FRANK GUNN — THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

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Ryan Fox of New Zealand won for the second time in five weeks on the PGA Tour with another memorable shot in a playoff, this time a 3-wood to 7 feet on the fourth extra hole Sunday to beat Sam Burns in the RBC Canadian Open.

Fox won the Myrtle Beach Classic last month by chipping in for birdie to win a three-man playoff. This one on the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley took a little longer.

What turned out to be the winning shot might be more memorable. Fox smoked a 3-wood that landed softly just left of the pin and settled 7 feet away. Burns pulled his 3-wood some 55 feet left of the front right pin. He ran his eagle putt 8 feet by and missed that one.

Fox missed his eagle try before tapping in for birdie.

“To be honest, Sam and I had a bit of a pillow fight for three holes,” Fox said. “But that shot I hit on 18, that 3-wood, was probably the best shot I’ve ever hit. It would have been nice to make the putt. But hey, I’ll take it.”

Fox holed a birdie putt from just inside 18 feet on the par-5 18th in regulation for a 4-under 66 that allowed him to join Sam Burns at 18-under 262. Burns had finished some two hours earlier with a birdie on the final hole for a 62.

They played the 18th four more times — the PGA Tour moved the pin position from far left to front right after two extra holes — and there was nothing compelling about the extra holes.

Kupcho wins ShopRite LPGA Classic, ending nearly 3-year drought

Jennifer Kupcho closed with an 8-foot birdie putt in light rain to hold off Ilhee Lee on Sunday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic, ending a drought of nearly three years without winning.

Kupcho, whose four LPGA Tour titles include a major at the Chevron Championship, birdied three of the last five holes for a 5-under 66. She took the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt from just off the green on the 14th, and avoided a playoff with the putt on 18.

Lee was the 36-hole leader going into the final round on a rain-soaked Bay Course at Seaview Hotel, so drenched that the par-3 17th was moved up to play only 76 yards. She had two early bogeys and shot 39 on the front to fall back.

But the South Korean finished strong, with five birdies on the back, including the last two holes, for a 68. It wasn’t enough to catch Kupcho, who was in her own world.

Kupcho finished at 15-under 198 in one of only two LPGA events contested over 54 holes.

“I really just wasn’t thinking about anything else,” Kupcho said. “I think in my mind I had set on 14 under, so I was really just trying to get to that number. Obviously did a little better. Yeah, just feels really nice. Just kind of stayed in my zone the whole time.”

The 36-year-old Lee won her only LPGA title 12 years ago in the Bahamas on a course shortened to 12 holes because of historic rain. But she had played only 18 times in the last seven years, finishing off her college degree and working briefly for Financial Forum. Lately, she has been a part-time golf teacher.