CHARLOTTE, N.C.  – In a joint announcement, the PGA of America and the PGA TOUR today announced that beginning in 2019, the PGA Championship will be played in the month of May – while THE PLAYERS Championship will be contested in March at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

“In weighing the complex evolution of the golf calendar, the PGA of America’s key objectives were to promote the best interests of our signature spectator Championship, do what is best for the game and its great players, and find the most advantageous platform to fulfill our mission of serving our nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals and growing the game,” said PGA of America Chief Executive Officer Pete Bevacqua. “Our analysis began in 2013 and included an extensive list of factors, including having to shift the date every four years to accommodate the Olympic Games. In the end, we determined that playing the PGA Championship the week prior to Memorial Day in May, making it the second major championship of the golf calendar, will achieve those three objectives.

“The golf calendar is dramatically different, especially in the latter portions of the schedule, than it was in the 1970s when our PGA Championship took up residence in August. We are excited about this move to May. It provides our PGA Championship a strong landing spot on the calendar and a consistent major-championship rhythm that golf fans can embrace. For nearly 85 percent of our Membership, May is also on the front-end of the golf season. This date change will allow them to engage new players and introduce various Growth of the Game initiatives entering the heart of the golf season across much of the country.”

“We are thrilled to announce these two significant changes, which will greatly enhance the professional golf calendar starting in 2019,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “Our thanks to the PGA of America for its partnership in what will allow both organizations to meet our short- and long-term objectives, while delivering incredibly compelling golf to our fans around the world.

“The calendar for the PGA TOUR season is among the most important and challenging aspects of our business, and the changes we’re unveiling today give significant flexibility to create a schedule including the FedExCup Playoffs that is in the best interests of players, fans, tournaments, communities and our partners, from start to finish.

“THE PLAYERS Championship has grown in stature since we moved to May in 2007 and, regardless of the date, is clearly one of the premier events in all of golf – the best players in the world, a premier venue in THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, an unmatched fan experience and a significant charitable component that benefits the Jacksonville-area community. THE PLAYERS moving to March in 2019 will enhance an already strong Florida portion of our calendar and play a significant role in an overall improved schedule.”

From May 16-19, 2019, Bethpage Black in Farmington, New York, will host the 101st PGA Championship, which will be the first conducted in May since Sam Snead’s triumph in 1949.

A total of four PGA Championships have been held in May. Ben Hogan claimed the second of his two PGA Championship victories in May of ‘48. Denny Shute also hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy in May 1937, as did Snead for the first time in May ’42.

Since its inception in 1916, the PGA Championship has been played in nine different months. It has been the final major championship of the year from 1959-70, and from 1972 through 2017.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Lucas Glover walked off the 18th fairway at Quail Hollow still feeling slightly underdressed.

He wasn’t alone.

“I don’t recognize some of these guys out here, and I’m sure they probably don’t recognize me either,” Glover said.

For the first time in its 99-year history, the PGA Championship allowed players to wear shorts during practice rounds this week , in part to combat the August heat in North Carolina. But on a rain-soaked Tuesday, only about half of the players took advantage of the change, with many like Rory McIlroy choosing to stick with long pants.

But like Glover, Scotland’s Martin Laird couldn’t resist.

“This feels great,” Laird said following his practice round. “It gets a little hot out here during the summer.”

Still, it was different, if not odd, watching Jim Furyk practicing bunker shots wearing shorts and seeing Dustin Johnson chilling in the interview room with bare legs.

The running joke leading up the PGA Championship was that no other major championship course had so many white stakes – except they weren’t boundary markers. They were legs.

“Everybody is razzing each other a little bit,” defending champion Jimmy Walker said. “Some guys look good in shorts and some guys don’t. It’s pretty funny. There are a lot of untanned legs out there. You can tell those Florida boys, they have been soaking the sun up. I’ve been up in Utah and overseas for a few weeks so my legs are kind of untanned.”

Johnson, the world’s No. 1-ranked player, wore long pants on Monday out of habit, later saying he completely forgot about the rule. But he wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice, throwing on shorts for Tuesday’s practice round.

“Hopefully we can do this a little more,” Johnson said.

Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler wore shorts as well on Tuesday.

Never one to miss a fashion statement, John Daly broke out some red, white and blue shorts with stars. And Pat Perez donned bright cherry red shorts that matched his high-top Jordan golf cleats.

Even Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson, who are gearing up for their 100th majors this week, opted for shorts on the practice tee.

“I love that they took a risk and did something with the players in mind and I think it’s turned out well,” Mickelson said. “I hope that their example gets followed by the tour. I think it would be a great thing.”

McIlroy, the odds-on favourite to win the tournament, said he opted for long blue pants when he looked outside in the morning and saw dark skies.

“Hey, if it was sunny it would be great,” McIlroy said with a laugh. “Obviously it’s raining out. So I don’t get why people are wearing shorts.”

Still, McIlroy is one of many golfers who likes that the rules have been relaxed.

While the look Tuesday was in stark contrast to a century ago when golfers wore coats and ties on the course, McIlroy said the game needs to adapt because tournaments are being held in warmer climates during summer months.

“I know walking 18 holes around there, if it was hot and humid and in the 90s, as it is here sometimes this year, shorts are very much appreciated,” McIlroy said.

Some traditionalists have criticized the move, saying it’s inappropriate and lacks class. Others point to the LPGA Tour, where women have worn shorts and skirts for years.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with professional golfers showing the lower half of their leg,” McIlroy cracked.

PGA of America president Paul Levy announced in February that players would be allowed to wear shorts during practice rounds of its championships. The European Tour approved a similar rule last year, allowing players to wear shorts during practice rounds and pro-ams.

Italy’s Francesco Molinari called the change “a step in the right direction” for golf.

He’s among many professional golfers who’d like to see the PGA Championship allow players to wear shorts during competition, not just practice rounds.

“Hopefully one day we will get there,” Molinari said.

Team Canada’s Naomi Ko posted a 1-under-par 71 in round one of U.S. Women’s Amateur to sit T10 after 18 holes at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, Calif.

The Victoria, B.C., native recorded three birdies and two bogeys in round one of stroke play. She was 2 under par for the day before a bogey on No. 15 and  then closed with three straight pars. She is four shots back of leader Haley Moore (Escondido, Calif.)

A veteran of Team Canada, Ko is coming off a strong finish at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship at Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont.

She climbed into tie for a third with a 3-under-par 67 in the final round, the only under par score of the day.

Earlier this summer Ko finished third at the Porter Cup and reached the round-of-16 at the Women’s Western Golf Association Amateur Championship before losing to her Team Canada teammate and eventual winner Maddie Szeryk.

Ko has seen success at USGA events before. She qualified for the U.S Women’s Open in 2016 and reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship in 2015.

.@naomiko_golf shoots a 1 under round in her first of stroke play at @USGA Women's Am she is T-10 and 4 shots back #USWomensAm

— TSN Golf (@TSNGolf) August 8, 2017

Amateur Squad’s Grace St-Germain, carded an opening round 80 (+8). The Ottawa native is T128.

Development Squad rookie Mary Parsons from Delta, B.C., posted a 9-over-par 81 in round one to sit T133.

After two rounds of stroke play the field will be reduced to 64 golfers and match-play will begin.

Click here to view the full leaderboard

Team Canada’s A.J. Ewart shot a 6-under-par 64 to lead after the first round of the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship taking place at The Toronto Golf Club and Islington Golf Club on Monday.

The 18-year-old member of Team Canada’s Development Squad went bogey free during the opening round to tie the course record at Islington Golf Club. The Coquitlam, B.C., product was propelled to the top of the leaderboard after making six birdies, including three straight on holes 12-14.

“It was just one of those days when everything fell into place,” he said, after walking up from the 18th green. “After the front nine I was just 2 under, then I made the turn and something just clicked and I started making putts. It turned out to be a really good day.”

“I had a lot of confidence going into this week and I expected a good round today.”

Eric Flockhart, from Mississauga, Ont., sits one stroke back in second after he shot 5-under-par 65, tying a competitive course record of his own at The Toronto Golf Club – where he worked in the backshop for the last three years. Flockhart made the turn at 1 under par and immediately dropped a stroke on the par-4 10th hole. The 22-year-old responded immediately with four straight birdies before finishing on 18 with a long birdie putt.

“All year I’ve been playing 18 and I can’t buy a putt on it – so it was nice to see that one go,” said Flockhart, greenside following a 30-foot birdie putt. “It’s a tough one to read – especially when you get to the back of the green… the putts are so hard to make.”

There is a seven-way tie for third place at 4 under par made up of: Eric Johnson (Winnipeg, Man.), defending champion Hugo Bernard (Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que.), Zach Bauchou (Forest, Va.), Joey Savoie (La Prairie, Que.), Camilo Aguado (Colombia), Timmy Hildebrand (Carmel, Ind.) and Lin Yuxin (China) who all shot 66.

Team Quebec leads the inter-provincial competition battling for the Willingdon Cup after the team consisting of Bernard, Marc-Olivier Plasse (Mercier, Que.) and Étienne Papineau (St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.) shot a combined 6 under par.

Team Manitoba sits three strokes back in second while Nova Scotia shot 3 over par to round out the top three.

In addition to claiming the title of 2017 Canadian Men’s Amateur champion, the winner will earn exemptions into the 2017 U.S. Amateur at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and the 2018 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont. The champion will also be eligible to receive an exemption into the U.S. Junior Amateur, the U.S. Mid-Amateur or the U.S. Senior Amateur, if applicable.

For full results click here.

Sixty-four junior golfers from across Canada will compete for gold starting tomorrow when the 2017 Canada Summer Games golf tournament takes place from Aug. 8-11 at Southwood Golf and Country Club, in Winnipeg, Man.

A Thomas McBroom design – Southwood Golf and Country Club is known for its undulation and scenic views. With water, sand or both in play on nearly every hole, the course will provide a stiff test as golfers from ten provinces and one territory. compete for four gold medals.

“Southwood Golf and Country Club is an amazing course and it’s in stellar condition,” said Tournament Director Akash Patel. “We’re very excited to be involved with the Canada Summer Games and the celebration of sport in the beautiful city of Winnipeg.”

British Columbia comes to Winnipeg as the two-time defending champion in the male and female individual and team events – the only province or territory to win a gold medal at the Canada Summer Games since golf became part of the Games in 2009.

Team B.C. is sending a strong contingent again in the boys’ competition. The team is led by 16-year-old Victoria native Nolan Thoroughgood. Thoroughgood became the youngest champion in the history of the B.C. Men’s Amateur (age) when he won by two strokes in 2016.

He’s joined by Keaton Gudz (Victoria) and Tristan Mandur (Mill Bay). All three are ranked inside the top-45 of the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit.

15-year-old Kelvin Lim will lead the Team Ontario boys’ team as Ontario attempts to take down the B.C. powerhouse. Lim, from Thornhill, won the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Junior Boys’ Spring Classic and is ranked third on the Future Links driven by Acura National Order of Merit.

Sudbury’s Tristan Renaud – the 2017 Ontario Junior Boys Champion – and Alliston native Taylor Beckstead will join Lim in Winnipeg.

43 days to go & 4 more athletes named to #TeamBC! Congrats @bc_golfer men’s team! #JCG2017 #CGGolf #WEareBC https://t.co/0L5MbpyCZg pic.twitter.com/SRbq2xdBSb

— Team BC (@GoTeamBC) June 15, 2017

On the girls’ side, Team Canada’s Hannah Lee of Surrey will lead Team B.C. in their title defense. Lee is in her second year on the Team Canada Development Squad and is coming off a third place finish at the B.C. Junior Girls Championship. Lee is joined by Richmond’s Alisha Lau the 2017 B.C. Junior Girls Champion Tiffany Kong (Vancouver).

Led by Team Canada Development Squad’s Monet Chun, the Ontario team will look to bring gold to Canada’s largest province for the first time.

Chun, from Richmond Hill, won the 2017 Ontario Future Links Driven by Acura Championship and the 2017 Investors Group Junior Girls’ Spring Classic.

London, Ont., native Ellie Szeryk, the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Junior Girls’ champion will join Chun along with Toronto’s Sarah Beqaj who is a member of Golf Ontario’s Team Ontario program.

Szeryk captures Investors Group Ontario Junior Girls’ Championship: https://t.co/DWZ6oLJMkc #Golf #GolfOntario #JuniorGirlsChamp pic.twitter.com/6aFRSdKShf

— Golf Ontario (@TheGolfOntario) July 7, 2017

Both the team and individual competitions take place over the course of four rounds with no cut and all 60 golfers playing 72 holes.

Each day the two best scores of the three team members count towards the team score. The team medallists are determined by the aggregate sum of the four daily team scores.

For more information on the Canada Summer Games golf tournament click here.

Click here to view the rosters of each team.

CHAMPIONSHIP FAST FACTS

B.C. has won all eight gold medals since golf became part of the Canada Summer Games in 2009 and has the most medals overall with 10 (eight gold, one silver, one bronze).

In 2013, British Columbia dominated the team competitions in Sherbrooke, Que., winning the girls’ event by 17 strokes and the boys by 12.

Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Kevin Kwon won the 2013 men’s individual event finishing 13 strokes clear of silver medallist Etienne Papineau (Bromont, Que.) en route to establishing a new Canada Games record with a four-round score of 279 (-13). Calgary’s Matt Williams won bronze.

Surrey, B.C., native Taylor Kim finished five shots ahead of Valerie Tanguay from Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. in the women’s 2013 event. Calgary’s Sabrine Garrison won bronze.

Only four provinces have medalled in golf at the Canada Summer Game: British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario.

The lowest single day team score is 141 for male and female with B.C. setting both records at the 2009 Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island.

COURSE FACTS

Southwood Golf and Country Club was established in 1894, but moved to its current location in 2011.

Architect: Thomas McBroom

Southwood Golf and Country Club hosted the 2014 Canadian University/College Championship and the 2014 Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship.

The ruins of a monastery were left in place during construction of the course creating a landscape with natural beauty and man-made structures.

Murray, Kentucky’s Patrick Newcomb endured a marathon day of 38 holes at Windermere Golf and Country Club on Sunday, shooting a final round 4-under 66 then defeating Germany’s Max Rottluff in a playoff to win the Syncrude Oil Country Championship presented by AECON for his first Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada win.

The 27-year old sank a curling 18-foot birdie putt on the fourth extra hole to become the first player to win on both the Mackenzie Tour and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, where he captured the Honduras Open presented by Indura Beach and Golf Resort earlier this year.

“I came up here to win. A win really solidifies you and puts you in a good spot, and after three tough years, this has been the year for me to get to the Web.com Tour,” said Newcomb, who now ranks fifth on the Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit and eighth on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica.

Starting the day one shot back of Tacoma, Washington’s Derek Barron, Newcomb had 16 holes left to finish Round Three, in which he carded a 2-under 68 to remain one behind Barron. It was Rottluff, however, who quickly emerged as the man to beat, playing well ahead of the leaders and carding six birdies in his first 13 holes to jump out to the lead at 16-under, where he would go on to post the clubhouse lead.

“I felt I played pretty good. Starting the day out, I don’t know how many shots back I was, so it was a long day for sure and I played well,” said Rottluff, a winner already this year at the Bayview Place Cardtronics Open presented by Times Colonist, as well as last year at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open.

Heading to the back nine four shots behind, Newcomb needed a spark and found it thanks to some inspiration from his caddie, Windermere member Dave Kakoschke.

“Dave kept me in it on the back nine. I was walking down 10 and I hit it right and I was in a bad spot, and he goes, ‘let’s be scrappy and get around here, make a couple birdies and see where we’re at.’ That shoved me back in it, and we were just rolling from there,” said Newcomb, who reeled off three straight birdies to get within one.

With one shot to make up down the stretch, Newcomb continued to play aggressively, eventually making a 15-footer for birdie at 17 to match Rottluff with one hole to go.

“I knew if I didn’t play well down the stretch and folded, that’s just part of it,” said Newcomb, adding that the adrenaline from being in the hunt kept him going on a marathon day. “Once you have a chance to win, everything livens up a bit.”

The Murray State graduate had a chance to win outright on 18, but left his putt for the title just short to fall into a playoff. The first three extra holes settled nothing, with Rottluff missing two long but makeable putts for the win and Newcomb lipping out on one.

Finally, after finding the 18^th green for the fifth time on Sunday, Newcomb finally got his birdie putt to drop for the first time all day, securing the win and leading to an exuberant fist pump to accentuate the win.

“I thought I missed high, that was the funny part,” admitted Newcomb about his winning putt. “I just gave it a little more, and five feet away I was like, ‘I cannot believe this is not gonna go in.’ It just curled in the top edge, and it felt amazing.”

With a total score of 11-under par in a tie for ninth, Kimberley, British Columbia’s Jared du Toit finished as the top Canadian on the leaderboard, earning Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours and a $2,500 prize.

The top Canadian on the leaderboard each week takes home the award, with the top Canadian on the Order of Merit at season’s end earning the Dan Halldorson Trophy, Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year honours and a $25,000 prize.

Click here to view the full leaderboard.

Chris Stroud ended more than a decade of futility on the PGA Tour with two of the most important shots of his career.

One was a 5-wood to 5 feet on the final hole of the Barracuda Championship that got him into a playoff. The other was a 5-iron to 12 feet on the par-5 18th hole that made him a PGA Tour winner for the first time in 11 years and 289 tournaments.

“Eleven years I’ve waited for that,” Stroud said when he was introduced as a tour winner. “So it’s a dream come true.”

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., had a hole in one and tied for 34th at -10. Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch was tied for 65th at -1.

Not even in the picture for so much of the final round, Stroud rallied over the final six holes at Montreaux Golf and Country Club with three birdies and an eagle to get into a three-man playoff. He won with a two-putt birdie on the second extra hole.

The victory sends Stroud to the PGA Championship next week, the first of many perks. He also gets a two-year exemption, almost as important as playing a major for a 35-year-old who only had conditional status this year.

He also gets into the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, the start of the new year reserved only for PGA Tour winners.

It required a frenetic finish, especially with the modified Stableford format that awards five points for an eagle, two points for a birdie and take away one point for a bogey and three points for a double bogey or worse.

Stroud picked up 20 points in the final round – 11 of them on that final stretch – and got into the playoff with 45-year-old Greg Owen (making his 264th start on the PGA Tour without a victory) and PGA Tour rookie Richy Werenski.

Owen drove into the water on the 17th hole and made bogey, only to bounce back with a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th to join the playoff. Werenski also was clutch, making an 8-foot birdie putt on the last hole.

Owen caught a bad lie in the bunker on the 18th hole in the playoff, bladed it out to 45 feet and missed his birdie putt. He was eliminated when Stroud two-putted from 25 feet for birdie, and Werenski calmly rolled in an 8-foot birdie putt.

“Disappointed,” Owen said. “This time of my career, you don’t get many more chances.”

Returning to the 18th hole, Stroud hit 5-iron to 12 feet. Werenski went long, chipped to 25 feet and missed the birdie putt.

Stroud was inspired by Sergio Garcia, who finally won a major this year at the Masters after 70 tries in the majors as a pro. He ran into the Masters champion at the AT&T Byron Nelson this year.

“I gave him a hug and said congratulations and he said, ‘Just take it easy. It will come to you.’ And I don’t think he even realized how important that was for me,” Stroud said. “I took a back seat. I didn’t push so much to try to win a golf tournament. I just did the best I could to prepare and to show up every week ready to play. And it just came to me.”

Click here to view the full leaderboard.

Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ontario) handled the pressure of her first Sunday lead like a veteran that has won many times before. She posted a bogey-free 4-under, 68 at Brown Deer Park to win the PHC Classic by three shots. Marchand finished with a three-day score of 13-under, 203.

After a 1-under, 71 on Friday, Marchand made 13 birdies and just one bogey over the final two rounds to earn her first win on the Symetra Tour and her first win as a professional. Marchand pockets the $15,000 and moves from 41st to 17th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with six events remaining. She has now earned $28,680 in 14 starts this year.

Marchand also earns a spot in The Evian Championship, the final major on the LPGA schedule from September 14-17. The top two finishers at the PHC Classic earned spots. Marion Ricordeau, a native of Laon, France, finished in second place at 10-under, 206 to stamp her ticket to compete in her first Evian Championship.

How sweet is the win?!

41st to 17 on @volvikUSA Race for @LPGA and she’s in @EvianChamp!!

Congrats again, @Britt_Marchand! pic.twitter.com/DdA4c8dRkg

— Symetra Tour (@ROAD2LPGA) August 7, 2017

“It’s a really special moment,” said Marchand, a second-year pro. “I know that I have the ability and I know it’s in me, it’s just really cool to see it shine through.”

Marchand never once showed signs of struggling with the nerves and she credited the experience at the Manulife LPGA Classic, when she made the cut and was in the top 10 after three rounds.

“The experience there where I was up in a really good position really helped me today,” said Marchand, who slipped on Sunday at the LPGA event, but still finished T46. “It really helped me today to keep calm and just keep doing my thing. This is pretty awesome and pretty surreal at this point.”

Marchand started a little slow with pars on the first two holes, but then made a critical birdie from just on the second cut of grass on the par-3 third. She decided to use the flatstick and hit a 20-footer.

“When you are nervous, eliminating a lot of hand movement is key so that is why I decided to putt instead of hitting a fine chip shot,” explained Marchand. “That helped me relax and it made me think that if I play like I did yesterday I would be fine.”

.@Britt_Marchand wins with birdie!!!! pic.twitter.com/fDD7NPxhLu

— Symetra Tour (@ROAD2LPGA) August 6, 2017

On hole nine, Marchand hit what she described as a “bad drive”, but recovered with a 5-iron to 15 feet.

“After making that putt on nine I felt really good,” said Marchand, who built a three-stroke lead to the back nine. “I was really pleased with three-under on the front and the putt gave me a boost to end strong. Even though I didn’t drop many putts on the back, I felt like I played really solid.”

Marchand has had a bit of inconsistent year by her own standards. She felt the win comes at a perfect time.

“I feel like I’ve been very up-and-down this season and it has knocked my confidence down a bit because I know I am there, but I haven’t been able to see it shine through, “ said Marchand. “It definitely gives me a good boost going into the last six events feeling confident to make a push for my (LPGA) card.”

Marchand still has some ground to make up. She is approximately $14,000 short of No. 10 on the money list. The good news is that the next Symetra Tour event is the Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge, which offers the highest purse ($210,000) and winner’s payout ($31,500) on Tour. The Tour will take three weeks off before heading to South Dakota.

The top ten remained completely unchanged after the PHC Classic with Nanna Koerstz Madsen (Copenhagen, Denmark), Benyapa Niphatsophon (Bangkok, Thailand) and Erynne Lee (Silverdale, Washington) holding the top three spots. No. 11 Lindsey Weaver (Bellefontaine, Ohio) was unable to close the gap on No. 10 Kendall Dye (Edmond, Oklahoma) as they both finished in a tie for 14th.

Click here to view the full leaderboard.

Hideki Matsuyama warmed up poorly and then turned in the best round of his career at the Bridgestone Invitational, a 9-under 61 that tied the course record and gave him another blowout victory in a World Golf Championship.

It was the lowest final round in four decades at Firestone Country Club and led to a five-shot victory over Zach Johnson.

Matsuyama knew from experience that the course record was a 61 because he was in the same group when Tiger Woods shot 61 in the second round in 2013. All it would take was birdies on the last three holes, and like everything else Sunday, the 25-year-old from Japan made it look easy.

“I knew 61 was the number,” Matsuyama said through his interpreter. “I was thinking about that at 16. I knew if I birdied 16, 17, 18 I could get there.”

Five wins at the age of 25.

Life is good for Hideki Matsuyama. pic.twitter.com/jYwQucXcgw

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 6, 2017

He spun a wedge back to 4 feet on the par-5 16th for birdie. He holed an 8-foot putt on the 17th hole and then closed with another approach and settled 6 feet away. Matsuyama, who began the final round two shots behind Johnson and Thomas Pieters, finished at 15-under 265.

He now has won two World Golf Championships by a combined 12 shots, having captured the HSBC Champions by seven shots in Shanghai last fall. It was his fifth PGA Tour victory, and third this season, tying him with Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth.

Johnson, winless since his British Open victory two years ago at St. Andrews, pulled within one shot with a long birdie putt at the 11th, but he could do no better than pars the rest of the way and shot 68.

Pieters was never in the game after missing 4-foot par putts on successive holes to close out the front nine. He closed with a 71.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., shot a 69 to finish the tournament at 7 under and tied for fifth. He began the day three shots back. Mackenzie Hughes (68) of Dundas, Ont., was 9 over for the event.

The only other player with a chance was Charley Hoffman, who also was one shot behind on the back nine. Hoffman was three shots behind on the par-5 16th hole when his caddie suggested laying up because there was no place to get it close by going for the green 282 yards away.

“I’m trying to win a tournament,” Hoffman said. “I’m tired of finishing second.”

"Why not?"

From 282 yards away, @hoffman_charley takes on The Monster head on. #QuickHits pic.twitter.com/klgM2CLoHa

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 6, 2017

He ripped a 3-wood onto the green and over the back into light rough, chipped weakly to 15 feet and made par anyway. He wound up with a 66 to finish third, though it was a big step in trying to make his first Presidents Cup team.

Matsuyama’s final birdie broke by one shot the lowest final round by a winner at Firestone. Fulton Allem shot 62 when he won the old World Series of Golf in 1993.

Matsuyama stays at No. 3 in the world by a fraction behind Spieth, though he takes plenty of momentum into the PGA Championship next week as he tries to become the first player from Japan to win a major.

He’ll carry plenty of pressure, too.

Matsuyama moved into elite company last fall in a stretch of six tournaments in which he won four times and was runner-up the other two times. He added to his profile with a playoff victory to win the Phoenix Open for the second straight year.

The winning scorecard.

6️⃣1️⃣ ? pic.twitter.com/VKD9HAgIYQ

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 6, 2017

And while he has played well in the majors, including a runner-up finish to Brooks Koepka in the U.S. Open, he has yet to seriously contend.

“I haven’t really played well at Quail Hollow, but hopefully I can keep my game up and do well there,” Matsuyama said. “All I can do is my best. I know a lot of us have tried from Japan to win majors. Hopefully, some day it will happen.”

Rory McIlroy got within one shot of the lead on the front nine with three birdies in six holes until his momentum stalled with a few missed putts. He stumbled on the back nine and shot 69, leaving him in a tie for fifth with Russell Knox, Paul Casey and Adam Hadwin.

Spieth closed with a 68 and tied for 13th in his last tournament before he goes for the career Grand Slam in the PGA Championship. After the Bridgestone Invitational, add one more player – Matsuyama – to the list of major obstacles in his way.

Click here to view the full leaderboard.

I.K. Kim banished the haunting memory of missing a 14-inch putt to win a major and replaced it with the sweetest sensation.

Finally, she can call herself a major champion.

Staked to a six-shot lead in the Women’s British Open, Kim never led anyone get closer than two shots at Kingsbarns Links and sealed victory with a bold hybrid over the burn to the 17th green. She made nine pars on the back nine and closed with a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory.

“I cannot describe my feelings,” Kim said. “I just tried to have some fun, but it wasn’t fun on the back nine.”

The whole world wants to give @SWEET_IKKIM a hug after her @RICOHWomensBrit win! pic.twitter.com/hd0zg0hrNd

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 6, 2017

Jodi Ewart Shadoff made her work for it by charging home with a 64 to put pressure on the 29-year-old South Korean. Kim didn’t falter over an increasingly soggy course, however. She finished at 18-under 270 to capture the $487,500 prize.

Michelle Wie went out in 30 to give Kim something to think about, but the 27-year-old from Hawaii stalled and closed with a 66 to tie for third with Caroline Masson (67) and Georgia Hall (70).

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., tied for 31st at 3 under.

Kim now has won three times, the most by anyone on the LPGA Tour this year, all in the last two months.

But this was the biggest by far.

.@Jodi_Ewart fired a final round 8-under 64 to finish 2nd @RICOHWomensBrit. .@TheAmyRogers spoke with her after her round ==> pic.twitter.com/6mqkPfVLPb

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 6, 2017

She was no more than 14 inches away from winning the 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship for her first major when she clasped her hand over her mouth in disbelief when it spun out of the hole. She lost in a playoff, and it was a tough memory to shake.

Until Sunday.

“I almost cried when I won. Winning is great,” Kim said. “It’s a long process to get over 2012. A lot of people helped me. Now I enjoy playing golf again. What it did teach me is to to give the same effort to every shot, even the shortest of putts.”

Armed with a six-shot overnight advantage, Kim was rarely threatened throughout a four-and-a-half hour round in which she crucially made only one bogey.

Ewart Shadoff matched the course record _ reached earlier this week by Wie and Olympic gold medallist Inbee Park _ and got within two shots of Kim with her eighth birdie of the round that put her at 16 under.

“I didn’t think starting the day that I would have a shot,” she said. “I had a great stretch in the middle of the round to get me going. My plan at the start was just to take the opportunities when I got them and that’s what I did.”

Wie was the only other player to get closer than five shots of Kim.

.@TheMichelleWie is taking a lot of confidence into #SolheimCup2017 after her great play this week @RicohWomensBrit! More with @TheAmyRogers pic.twitter.com/Ielr2wNewm

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 6, 2017

Seemingly impervious to the pressure of leading, Kim sailed along in the damp, overcast conditions, her steady play offering little encouragement to a chasing pack that also included the likes of Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis, Park and Moriya Jutanugarn.

A birdie at the par-3 opening hole, where her tee-shot nearly found the bottom of the cup, set Kim on her way. She made birdie on the par-5 eighth, and then had her first bogey in 44 holes with a three-putt at the turn.

Kim’s clinching shot, however, came as late as the penultimate hole, when a beautifully struck hybrid from the fairway sailed over the burn fronting the green and finished 15 feet from the flag. A routine par at the last completed her five-year journey between missing and making.

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