PHOENIX – John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO, has been honored with the distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award at the HSBC Golf Business Forum in Shanghai, China.

Solheim was recognized for his contribution to golf and for his achievements, leadership and innovation within the business side of the game. He got his start in the business when he was only 13, working alongside his father, Karsten, on early putter designs in the family’s garage. He aspired to be an architect, but as PING’s business expanded, he turned his passion to designing golf clubs and helping Karsten grow the privately-held entity into one of the most influential golf companies in the world. As chairman and CEO, he leads the company’s strategic direction and oversees the design and development of PING products.

“This prestigious award has been given to the game’s biggest names over the years, so I’m very honored to have the Solheim name next to many of golf’s legends,” Solheim said. “I accept this on behalf of my family and the entire company because achievement is always the result of teamwork. We have a lot of great team leaders at PING who make my job easier, and together we give PING the reputation it enjoys in the golf world.”

In particular, HSBC saluted the Solheims (PING founder Karsten Solheim and his wife, Louise) for creating the Solheim Cup in 1990, and for John Solheim’s role in elevating it to global success and creating the PING Junior Solheim Cup in 2002.

“My parents provided me so many wonderful examples of leadership through the years, and creating the Solheim Cup has left a tremendous legacy,” Solheim said. “They were committed to growing women’s golf and inspiring girls to take up the game. Along with my family and everyone at PING, we continue to hold that event near and dear to our hearts because it’s the right thing to do and we truly enjoy being ambassadors for the game we love.”

SHANGHAI – The European Tour is contemplating what amounts to a level playing field for those who want to be considered global players.

Typically, being a member of the two largest tours in golf requires a top 50 world ranking. That effectively assures the player of getting into the four majors and four World Golf Championships, which would be more than half of the minimum starts required on the PGA Tour (15) and European Tour (13).

That’s a significant issue facing new European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.

Pelley has spent the majority of his three months on the job talking to players of every level to figure out what works for them globally and what strengthens the European Tour. One solution under consideration is to lower the minimum requirement to five – provided that doesn’t include the majors and the WGCs.

That would make the requirement the same for someone like Justin Rose (No. 6 in the world) and Luke Donald. A former world No. 1, Donald fell out of the top 50 in May. He played all four majors, but only because he qualified for the U.S. Open and British Open. But he was not eligible for three of the WGCs.

“We’re evaluating and looking at that,” Pelley said. “Have we made a definitive decision? No. Will I give a bit more context in Dubai? The answer is yes. And that’s where we are. I’ve talked to a lot of players. Everybody has a different feeling. Some want to play on both tours that are not on an elite level. And if they’re not qualifying for the WGCs, they’re playing 33 to 34 events to play on two tours.”

The main incentive for keeping European Tour membership is being eligible for the Ryder Cup.

Ian Poulter thought he was about to lose his membership when he fell out of the top 50 and was no longer eligible for the HSBC Champions. He flew to Hong Kong and was helped immensely by Rich Beem giving up his spot in the Hong Kong Open. As it turned out, Poulter got into the HSBC Champions as an alternate.

“What I am finding, which is consistent with all of them whether that’s Ian Poulter, Luke Donald or Graeme McDowell, is they all want to be part of the process as we look to make some changes in the tour,” Pelley said. “They all want to embrace it. They have an unwavering desire for the tour to flourish.”

On his end, Pelley said it would be important to increase prize money to make it worthwhile for Europeans to play a little more often. But he sees no harm in making it easier for Europeans to follow the money to America and the PGA Tour.

“They’re no longer European Tour players or PGA Tour players,” Pelley said. “They’re global players.”

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Duffy Waldorf won the Toshiba Classic on Sunday for his first Champions Tour title, birdieing the final hole for a 5-under 66 and a two-stroke victory.

A day after matching the Newport Beach Country Club record with an 11-under 60, the 53-year-old former UCLA player had 10 birdies, five bogeys and only three pars in the final round.

Waldorf finished with a tournament-record 20-under 193 total. He earned $270,000 to easily qualify for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship after beginning the week on the bubble at 30th on the money list. The top 30 advanced to play next week at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The four-time PGA Tour winner was making his 73rd start on the 50-and-over tour.

Joe Durant was second after a 62.

Kevin Sutherland was third at 17 under after a 65. Paul Goydos (66) followed at 15 under, and 2010 and 2014 winner Fred Couples (69) was another stroke back along with Kenny Perry (68).

A pair of Canadians cracked the top 10. Stephen Ames (67) and Rod Spittle (68) finished at 12 under.

ANTALYA, Turkey – Victor Dubuisson of France made three late birdies to overtake Jaco Van Zyl and clinch his second Turkish Airlines Open title on Saturday, denying the South African a wire-to-wire victory.

Van Zyl had led from the opening round and was two shots ahead of Dubuisson after birdies on the 13th and 14th. But the Frenchman responded with three birdies on the last four holes for a 6-under 66 while Van Zyl finished with four pars for a 67. That gave Dubuisson a one-shot victory with a 22-under 266 total and a second career European Tour title.

Rory McIlroy was a shot behind the joint overnight leaders going into the round but only managed a 71 to drop to a tie for sixth at the first of four Final Series tournaments that award increased points totals toward the Race to Dubai.

Dubuisson broke down in tears when his final birdie putt sank on the 18th, having managed just two top-10 finishes this year going into the tournament. But he clearly enjoys playing in Turkey, where he also won his first career title in 2013.

“Sometimes you feel like your game is never going to come back and this week I realized that my whole game was here,” the Frenchman said. “I was really counting on this Final Series to give me some confidence back because I completely lost it a few months ago. I was just missing everything.”

Kiradesh Aphibarnrat of Thailand finished third, another shot behind Van Zyl. Kiradesh almost chipped in for an eagle on the 18th that would have forced a playoff but then missed his birdie putt as well to finish with a 67.

McIlroy increased his lead in the Race to Dubai standings to almost 400,000 points ahead of Danny Willett as he seeks his third title in four years.

“It’s always disappointing whenever you have a chance to win and you don’t play well enough to do that,” McIlroy said about his final round. “I’ll be going away from this tournament very disappointed with how I played today. But I’m still playing two more events this year and I feel like my game is good enough to give myself two opportunities to win again.”

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Justin Thomas overcame a double bogey on the 14th and some nervous moments on the final hole Sunday to win the CIMB Classic for his first PGA Tour title.

The 22-year-old American holed a 6-foot par putt on the par-5 18th for a one-stroke victory over Australian star Adam Scott. Thomas shot a 6-under 66 for a tournament-record 26-under 262 total at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Thomas, who had a course-record 61 in the second round, seemed to have blown his chances when he hit into the water at 14, but immediately rallied with three consecutive birdies to take the outright lead.

Scott, playing two groups ahead, had an eagle and seven birdies in his closing 63.

Thomas led by a stroke coming to the par-5 final hole, which he had birdied on Saturday, but the required par did not come easily. He drove right of the fairway and his approach found the bunker short of the green. He blasted out to 20 feet, raced his first putt past the hole and holed the comebacker for the breakthrough victory.

“I still can’t believe what happened,” Thomas said. “I made that par to clinch the title. “I don’t care how I got it done, it just feels awesome,”

Thomas, a close friend of second-ranked Jordan Spieth, continued the early season trend of players in their early 20s claiming their first PGA Tour victories, after Emiliano Grillo at Silverado and Smylie Kaufman in Las Vegas.

The former Alabama star from Kentucky said he had been struggling with downhill lies, and that’s what caused the double bogey at 14.

“I had a big body of water in front of the green, but I told myself I’ve been controlling the tournament so I should not worry too much,” Thomas said. “I knew I had four more holes to try to make some more birdies and was fortunate enough get birdies in three of the last four holes.”

Scott had a shot at eagle on the last, but the putt was well off target, and that cost him a chance of forcing a playoff.

“Look, 35-footers breaking 4 feet are not gimmes. I threw everything I could at it today. I’m playing well, and that’s nice, because I haven’t played that well for a while,” Scott said.

He was aiming to take his form in Malaysia into next week’s World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China.

“It’s motivating for sure. I want to get up there and play and show them that the old dog’s still got something,” Scott said.

American Kevin Na and Brendan Steele tied for third at 24-under. Na had a 67, and Steele shot 68.

Na lipped out short putts at 16 and 17. He lost a playoff at Silverado and tied for second in Las Vegas in the previous two events. He also tied for second last year in Malaysia, and has eight seconds and seven thirds on the tour against just one win.

Two-time defending champion Ryan Moore had a 69 to tie for 10th at 17 under.

David Hearn finished as the top Canadian. He tied for 29th at 11 under.

HAINAN ISLAND, China – Sei Young Kim made a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a one-stroke victory Sunday in the Blue Bay LPGA.

The 22-year-old South Korean player won for the third time in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour, closing with a 2-under 70 at difficult Jian Lake Blue Bay for a 2-under 286 total.

“I was like really nervous on the last putt,” Kim said. “I can hear my heart pound.”

After high wind sent scores soaring the first three days, the players faced only a moderate breeze on a rainy afternoon along the South China Sea.

Third-ranked Stacy Lewis, fellow American Kim Kaufman and Taiwan’s Candie Kung finished a stroke back. Kim holed her winning putt after playing partners Lewis and Kung missed birdie tries – Lewis from 20 feet and Kung from 10.

Lewis finished with a 70 for her sixth runner-up finish of the season and the 21st of her career. She won the last of her 11 LPGA Tour titles in June 2014.

“She is one of my favorite players, so I’m very honored to play with her,” Kim said about Lewis. “But I win, she still is my idol.”

Kung shot a 71. Kaufman, playing a group ahead, had a 69 for the best round of the day.

“It was so hard out there,” Kung said. “You can’t worry about what other people are doing. We’re just trying to hold the umbrella. ‘Is it going to rain? Is it not going to rain?’ … It was busy out there.”

Kim won playoffs this year in the Bahamas and Hawaii in events also played in strong wind on seaside layouts.

“This year my target was just three wins, so I feel very fulfilled,” Kim said. “I also come through rookie of the year, so I would be very honored to win that.”

The five-time Korea LPGA winner earned $300,000 to move up a spot to fourth on the money list with $1,727,436 and is projected to jump from 11th to eighth in the world.

“The first goal is Olympic gold medal. Then my next goal is No. 1,” Kim said.

Kim dropped into a four-way tie for the lead on the par-3 17th when she three-putted from about 120 feet on the massive beachside green. Kung hit to 2 1/2 feet and Lewis to 4 1/2 feet, but missed their putts to the right.

“I tried to cut a shot because the pin, there’s no room behind, and I made a mistake,” Kim said. “I was very upset after that hole. … After they missed, I got a new opportunity.”

Kim’s best shot was on the par-4 10th when she holed a 40-foot flop from the rough to save par after hitting her approach long and left into the water.

“That chip happened to me, so I trust more that I can win,” Kim said.

She pulled even with Lewis with a birdie on the par-4 13th. Kim’s 3-wood drive took a big forward bounce off a cart path, leaving her a sand wedge approach that she hit to 6 feet. Lewis three-putted for bogey, missing a 5 1/2-footer.

Kim moved ahead on the par-5 14th when she made a 10-foot birdie putt and Lewis missed an 8-footer.

Kaufman had her best finish in her first two seasons on the tour. The 24-year-old former Texas Tech player from tiny Clark, South Dakota, birdied Nos. 9, 11, 14 and 15, then missed mid-range birdie tries on the final three holes.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot her second straight 70 to tie for eighth at 4 over. She had the best weekend total in the field after opening with rounds of 77 and 75.

“I’m happy that everything’s over and I can relax and go back home,” Ko said..

Ko won the LPGA Taiwan by nine strokes last week to regain the No. 1 spot from Inbee Park. The 18-year-old New Zealander has a tour-high five victories.

Canada’s Alena Sharp recorded her best LPGA Tour finish in 10 years, a tie for 5th at 3-over.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Duffy Waldorf missed a chance to shoot the second 59 in Champions Tour history Saturday, parring the final two holes for an 11-under 60 in the Toshiba Classic.

Waldorf missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th, coming up short and right.

“It was a trickier putt than I wanted,” Waldorf said. “I didn’t hit the putt hard enough. I had been reaching the hole all day, so I didn’t think that would be a problem.”

He drove behind a tree into the left rough on the closing hole, statistically the easiest hole at Newport Beach Country Club, and hooked a hybrid approach through the green and into the back bunker.

“I tugged it a little,” Waldorf said about his drive. “Yeah, it was nerves, but I felt like if I just hit one solid, I would be in pretty good shape. It didn’t really work out that well. I mean, I thought I might just get a look at the hole.”

Kevin Sutherland is the only player to shoot 59 on the 50-and-over tour. He had a 13-under 59 last year in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open.

“I wasn’t keeping track until I saw the board on 17,” Waldorf said. “Coming into 18, I knew what I had in front of me.”

Waldorf tied the course record set by Tom Purtzer in 2004 and matched by Nick Price in 2011, both en route to victories. Waldorf had a 15-under 127 total to break Price’s 36-hole record by a stroke.

The 53-year-old former UCLA player had a three-stroke lead over defending champion Fred Couples in the final full-field event of the year. Couples, also the 2010 winner, had a 65.

“I felt like somebody was going to shoot a low round,” Couples said. “What he shot today was exceptional. Duffy went flying by everyone.”

Waldorf birdied the first three holes and added three more on the front nine, including a 20-footer on the ninth. He made two more birdies and had another three-hole birdie streak that he capped with a 50-footer on 16. Waldorf finished with 11 birdies, hitting wedges into seven of the greens.

“If I get 10 drives in the fairway, I like my chances hitting short irons into greens,” Waldorf said. “I definitely want to be in the fairway here.”

Sutherland (66) was four strokes back along with Woody Austin (63), Kenny Perry (65) and first-round leaders Steve Pate (68) and Scott McCarron (68).

Three Canadians are in the field this week. Rod Spittle has a share of 10th at 9 under, Steven Ames is 8 under and tied for 16th, while Jim Rutledge has a share of 70th at 1 over.

The top 30 on the money after the tournament will qualify for the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona.

ANTALYA, Turkey – Rory McIlroy shot a third straight 5-under 67 Saturday to move to within one stroke of the leaders after the third round of the Turkish Airlines Open.

Jaco van Zyl of South Africa maintained a share of the lead after a 70 to sit tied with Victor Dubuisson (67) on 16-under 200.

McIlroy dropped his first shots of the tournament with bogeys on Nos. 3 and 10 but also had five birdies and an eagle on the 13th.

“I feel if I play the same way and execute a little bit better, there’s definitely a lower score out there for me,” the four-time Major winner said.

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (66) shared third place with McIlroy.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Justin Thomas birdied the final two holes to shoot a 5-under 67 at the CIMB Classic on Saturday and a share of the lead with American compatriot Brendan Steele going into the final round of the PGA Tour’s Malaysian event.

Second-round leader Thomas had an eventful round of eight birdies and three bogeys at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club to reach 20-under 196, level with Steele, who had a bogey-free 66.

They were a shot clear of last year’s runner-up Kevin Na, who had the equal-best round of the day with a 64.

With only four strokes separating the top nine players, including former No.1 Adam Scott, and the course offering plenty of opportunities to pick up strokes, a close finish looms on Sunday.

Scott (66) and first-round leader Scott Piercy (69) were tied at 16-under, a shot behind a group of four players: Americans James Hahn (64), Brian Harman (66) and Spencer Levin (68) plus Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (68).

Steele has 13 birdies, an eagle and no bogeys over the second and third rounds, and that flawless performance has put him position to push for his second victory on tour, after the 2011 Texas Open.

Earlier this month, he also led into the final round of the Frys.com Open only to slide out of contention with a final-round 76.

“I learned a lot from it,” Steele said. “Feel like I’m in a better place now, mentally. I’ll be trying to be a little bit more patient and a little bit more positive, not kind of put so much pressure on myself.”

Thomas, who is chasing his maiden tour title, rued a series of putts that came close but didn’t drop.

“This is where you want to put yourself at every event,” Thomas said. “I’m just going to use my past learning experiences in the other events I’ve played in and just try to go out there and hit a bunch of fairways.

“I’m not driving too well and if I can hit more fairways, I can attack a little bit more. That is what I’ll aim for tomorrow. I’m just going to focus on that and try to go make as many birdies as I can.”

Na, the 32-year-old Korean American who has a history of coming close to tournament titles but missing the big prize, feels his luck may have turned after an extraordinary recovery at the par-5 10th hole.

He drove into the rough, his next shot hit a tree than a cart path and bounced back among the trees, but his approach shot to the green found the hole for a remarkable birdie.

“Eight times in my career I finished second,” Na said. “I got to keep the streak alive. Worst case, I win, right?” joked Na, who finished runner-up to Ryan Moore a year ago.

“I’ve been unlucky a few times. But you know what? The last few weeks I’ve never felt so comfortable coming down the stretch. I’ve been getting a lot of compliments from my friends and coaches and family members, friends, saying how comfortable I looked.”

Two-time defending champion Moore had his best round of the tournament with a 66 to be six shots off the pace and in contention to emulate Steve Stricker as the only player win a PGA Tour event three straight years. Stricker won the John Deere Classic from 2009-2011.

Canada’s David Hearn is tied for 37th at 7-under.

HAINAN ISLAND, China – Candie Kung was worn out after another difficult day at wind-battered and sun-baked Jian Lake Blue Bay.

“As far as tomorrow, I would like just to simply survive the day,” Kung said.

She wasn’t kidding.

It has been so tough in the Blue Bay LPGA that the 34-year-old Taiwanese player and South Korea’s Sei Young Kim topped the leaderboard Saturday at even par.

Only two of the 78 players broke 70 and there were 11 rounds in the 80s. The players averaged 76.282 to push the three-day mark to 75.733. With more wind and possibly rain Sunday, the tournament could be the first with an over-par winner since Birdie Kim won the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open at 3 over at Cherry Hills in Colorado.

“If you can really get close to even par, you can probably win it,” Kung said.

Kung bogeyed the final two holes for a 1-over 73, and playing partner Kim shot a 74.

The wind makes it hard for players to hit into good positions on the large, undulating greens, with their firmness making it even more difficult.

“This is probably one of the hardest courses I’ve ever seen,” Kung said. “The course itself is full of slopes and sometimes it really feels like you’re taking a roller-coaster ride.”

Third-ranked Stacy Lewis was third at 1 over. The American bogeyed the par-5 18th for a 73.

Since winning the last of her 11 titles in June 2014, Lewis has finished second seven times, including playoff losses this year in the ANA Inspiration and Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.

Playing into the wind just off the South China Sea, Kung failed to reach the green on the 127-yard 17th and left her chip 20 feet short. She three-putted the par-5 18th, missing a 4-foot par putt.

“I really am very much distraught with the windy conditions,” said Kung, trying to win for the first time since 2008.

Kim also bogeyed the 17th, missing an 8-footer after driving through the green. The tour rookie won playoffs this year in the Bahamas and Hawaii in events also played in strong wind on tropical seaside layouts.

“This is the toughest course I’ve ever played,” Kim said. “This is really, really tough.”

The leaders both birdied the par-4 13th and par-5 14th, with Kung making two 10-foot putts to reach 2 under. After bogeying the previous two holes, Kim hit to 2 feet on 13 and holed a 15-footer on 14.

Norway’s Suzann Pettersen was 2 over along with American Kim Kaufman, Canada’s Alena Sharp and Japan’s Haru Nomura. Pettersen birdied the 18th in the final group for a 75. Nomura had a 72, and Kaufman and Sharp shot 74.

“It was the worst day by far,” Kaufman said.

China’s Lin Xi-yu, the first-round leader after a 67, followed her second-round 77 with a 75 that left her tied for eighth at 3 over. After playing her first 23 holes in 7 under, the 19-year-old Lin has played the last 31 holes in 10 over.

Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling had the best round, a 4-under 68 to jump from a tie for 42nd into the tie for eighth. Playing the back nine first, she had six birdies in a 30, then played her second nine in 2 over with three bogeys and a birdie.

Top-ranked Lydia Ko shot a 70 to move into a tie for 20th at 6 over. She opened with rounds of 77 and 75.

Ko won the LPGA Taiwan by nine strokes Sunday to regain the No. 1 spot from Inbee Park. The 18-year-old New Zealander has a tour-high five victories, winning three of her last five starts.