BEACHWOOD, Ohio – Bryson DeChambeau won the Web.com Tour Finals-opening DAP Championship on Sunday to wrap up a PGA Tour card for next season.

The 22-year-old former SMU player beat Andres Gonzales with a 5-foot par putt on the second hole of a playoff at Canterbury Golf Club. DeChambeau and Gonzales each birdied the 18th on the first extra trip down the par-4 hole, eliminating Nicholas Lindheim and Argentina’s Julian Etulain.

“It’s a big patience test for me, and I think I passed,” DeChambeau said.

DeChambeau shot a 1-over 71 in windy conditions to match Gonzales (68), Lindheim (66) and Etulain (67) at 7-under 273.

“Not easy with the wind up, and the rough up. It was a brutal test,” DeChambeau said. “The U.S. Open definitely helped me a little bit, especially with how long the rough was, and being comfortable with hitting wedge shots around the greens. But the good thing is the greens were receptive when hitting irons in so you were really able to throw darts at pins.”

DeChambeau earned $180,000. The 2015 NCAA and U.S. Amateur champion got into the field as a non-member with enough PGA Tour money to have placed in the top 200 in the FedEx Cup had he been eligible.

The four-event series features the top 75 players from the Web.com Tour money list, Nos. 126-200 in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings and some non-members such as DeChambeau. The top 25 players on the Web.com Tour regular-season money list earned PGA Tour cards. They are competing against each other for tour priority, with regular-season earnings counting in their totals. The other players are fighting for 25 cards based on series earnings .

Playing with an unusual iron configuration with 4-iron to lob wedge cut to standard 7-iron length, DeChambeau birdied the par-5 16th, three-putted for bogey on the long par-3 17th and closed with a par to get into the playoff.

“For some reason I’m able to just let that go and focus,” DeChambeau said “Really what that does is allow me to just say ok, it’s gone, it’s in the past, and move forward. I don’t hold it up or build it in me. I just ease out of it. I think that’s the most important thing that I stuck with it. Eventually I got a couple to fall, one on 16, and unfortunately on 17 I three putted. But on 18 I clutched up. ”

Gonzalez earned $74,667 to also wrap up a tour card after finishing 154th in the FedEx Cup standings.

“Main objective accomplished,” Gonzalez said. “It’s only disappointing when you come this close. I had some good looks coming down. I played really solid the whole week. I kept the ball in front of me a lot, which is what you need to do here. … I’m pleased. I’m excited. I’m sure I’ll be more excited after I get losing out of my mind.”

Lindheim and Etulain already earned cards from the regular-season Web.com Tour money list.

Zack Sucher was fifth at 6 under after a 71. PGA Tour winners Scott Stallings (65), Rory Sabbatini (70), Will MacKenzie (70) and D.A. Points (71) were 5 under. England’s Andrew “Beef” Johnston tied for 28th at even par after a 70.

GARDEN CITY, Kan. – Dana Finkelstein won the Symetra Tour’s Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes on Sunday to move into position for an LPGA Tour card.

The 23-year-old former UNLV player closed with a 1-under 71 for a four-stroke victory, her first on the tour. She finished at 11-under 277 and earned $22,500 to jump from 13th to fourth on the money list with $73,282 with four events left. The final top 10 will earn LPGA Tour cards. Augusta James of Bath, Ont., is currently 14th and sits as the top ranked Canadian.

Finkelstein, from Chandler, Arizona, won five times at UNLV – three as a senior in 2014-15 when she finished second in voting for the Annika Award. She opened with rounds of 65, 71 and 70 to take a five-stroke lead into the final day.

Brittany Benvenuto was second after a 69. Canadian Brittany Marchand (72) from Orangeville, Ont., was 5 under, and Marissa Steen (70) was 4 under.

The tour will remain at Buffalo Dunes next week for the Garden City Charity Classic. That event was moved to Buffalo Dunes this week because of fungus problems at The Golf Club at Southwind.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Greenwich, Connecticut’s David Pastore birdied the 72nd hole on Sunday to win the Niagara Championship, shooting a final round 5-under 66 at Cherry Hill Club to secure his first career Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada win.

The 24-year old University of Virginia grad got up-and-down from just short of the par-5 18th green for birdie, sinking a 5-foot putt to defeat Dan McCarthy of Syracuse, New York – who secured the 2016 Order of Merit title – by a stroke.

“I didn’t see this coming. I’ve been working really hard for a long time, and I felt like it was around the corner at some point, but there were really no signs to point to this week. I’m still in shock,” said Pastore, who was making just his third start of the season after missing most of the 2016 season with a wrist injury.

Starting the day tied for the lead with Tahiti’s Vaita Guillaume, the University of Virginia grad found himself trailing McCarthy quickly out of the gate after the Order of Merit leader birdied his first three holes to take the lead by two. But while McCarthy looked to take control, Pastore quietly kept pace with birdies on the fourth and fifth before adding a long birdie putt at the ninth to regain the lead on his own.

But even as he pulled away, Pastore couldn’t shake McCarthy, who looked to add an unprecedented fifth win to his record-smashing 2016 season on Sunday. At the 18th, McCarthy drained a slick 18-footer for birdie to post the clubhouse lead and tie Pastore at 13-under.

“That was a really greasy little putt,” said McCarthy. “If it didn’t go in it was about 12 feet by, and I didn’t hit it that hard. It just barely got over the slope, but it was all or nothing at that point and I had nothing to lose. I was trying to put some pressure on him.”

With the scene unfolding right in front of him, Pastore knew where things stood and what was at stake.

“I heard he had birdied, and he wasn’t going to make it easy on me,” said Pastore. “I wanted to give myself a putt. I figured if I hit two solid 3-woods up around the green, I could give myself a chance.”

After executing the first two parts of his plan to perfection, Pastore did his best to keep the thoughts of what an up-and-down would mean out of his head. A birdie would change his season from a wasted year to a crowning achievement, and he knew it.

“You’re thinking of so many scenarios. ‘What if I do this? What if I do that? How can I mess that up?’ You have to take it one shot at a time and put all those thoughts out of your mind, and it was not easy. It was very uncomfortable,” admitted Pastore.

The chip was executed well, and the putt was even better. After leaving himself a delicate 5-footer, Pastore poured the putt right in the middle of the hole, pumping his fist as he secured his first professional win.

“I gave myself that putt that I wanted, and I’m happy it went in,” Pastore said.

With the win, Pastore moves from 143rd on the Order of Merit to 13th, turning the tables on a lost year. The helplessness of sitting out and watching from afar had been getting to him, unable to keep doubts about his future from creeping into his mind.

“It’s been incredibly frustrating. To have status up here and not be able to play, I couldn’t even look at the leaderboards at the beginning of the year because I wanted to be out here so badly,” said Pastore. “When you’re not playing, there’s always doubt about ‘am I ever going to play again?’ Health is a fickle thing, and as a professional golfer it’s my livelihood.”

For McCarthy, the disappointment of finishing second quickly washed away. Though it seemed inevitable throughout the year that he would claim the top spot on the Order of Merit, he was not mathematically guaranteed to do so until today. He’ll be fully exempt on the Web.com Tour next year thanks to a season that has seen him win four times and set numerous records, including a new mark set today: the all-time single season earnings record with $156,783.

“The goal at the beginning of the year was top five, and it’s hard to expect yourself to go out and win the money list. It’s really, really nice to be able to go into London and have a relaxed week and have some fun,” said McCarthy.

Four shots behind Pastore in a tie for third were Brock Mackenzie, Jonathan Garrick and Talor Gooch.

MCCARTHY SECURES ORDER OF MERIT TITLE, EARNINGS RECORD

With a second place finish this week, Dan McCarthy officially secured the 2016 Order of Merit title, earning exempt status on the Web.com Tour for 2017. Following McCarthy’s win last week at the Cape Breton Open, the only remaining scenario in which McCarthy could not win the season-long money list would have required Taylor Moore to win the season’s final two events.

With a total of $156,783, McCarthy also secured the all-time earnings record on the Mackenzie Tour. McCarthy had already set the earnings record for the PGA TOUR-era, and surpassed the previous record of $156,119 set by Aaron Goldberg in 2010.

Other records set by McCarthy this year include largest margin of victory (seven shots/GolfBC Championship and Players Cup) and low 72-hole score (259/GolfBC Championship and Players Cup).

CONNELLY EARNS FREEDOM 55 FINANCIAL TOP CANADIAN HONOURS

With a total score of 6-under par in a tie for 11th, Church Point, Nova Scotia’s Austin Connelly finished as the top Canadian on the leaderboard, earning Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week honours and a $2,500 prize. Connelly also captured the honour earlier this year at the ATB Financial Classic.

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.

CARMEL, Ind. – Dustin Johnson plays a different game than anyone else, and he wanted to keep it that way.

Right down to his putter.

The U.S. Open champion made a late change just before starting the BMW Championship, and so far he has no complaints. Johnson finished with four birdies over the last five holes Saturday on soggy Crooked Stick for a 4-under 68, stretching his lead to three shots going into the final round.

He is smashing his driver long and straight, just like always. He is hitting wedges good enough for multiple birdie chances.

And now the putts are going in.

“The strength this week has been putting,” Johnson said. “I’m rolling it really nicely. Even the putts that I’m missing still look like they’re going in.”

He was particular about the change, though.

Johnson decided to switch to the TaylorMade Spider. But right before he teed off in the opening round, he was bothered by one aspect of his new weapon. It was red, just like the model world No. 1 Jason Day uses. He recalled that his brother and caddie, Austin, had a similar model.

“I was putting good with it and right before we were about to tee off on Thursday, I’m like, ‘AJ, don’t you have the same one in black?’ And he says, ‘Yeah.’ And I said, ‘Go get it.’ I just didn’t want to use the same putter Jason was – like, the exact same one. That was really the only reason I changed.”

Eighteen birdies and one eagle putt later, Johnson was at 18-under 198 and closing in on his third victory of the year.

Paul Casey did his best to stay with him. Casey, coming off a runner-up finish on Labour Day at the TPC Boston, matched two of Johnson’s birdies during his late run until he had to scramble for pars on the last two holes. He still managed a bogey-free 68 and will be in the final group Sunday.

“We had a front row seat for something very special, and I’ll get a front row seat for it tomorrow,” Casey said.

Casey missed five fairways, his most this week in any round, yet still managed to keep bogeys off his card with smart shots out of the wet rough and solid putting. And he still matched Johnson’s score, even though he didn’t make up any ground.

“Not much you can do,” Casey said. “He’s got maybe the best attitude in golf. When he gets on his game, maybe the best ball-striker in golf. Maybe the longest. And he showed it today. So, if he keeps doing what he’s been doing – what he averaging, 6 under a day? – if does the same tomorrow, there’s no catching him.”

Johnson will be going for his third victory of the year, which would move him to the top of the FedEx Cup going into the finale at the Tour Championship in two weeks and make him a heavy favourite to win PGA Tour player of the year and the Vardon Trophy.

Still in the mix was J.B. Holmes, who shot a 68 and was four shots behind. Holmes at least is making a compelling case to be a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup when Davis Love III announces three of his selections on Monday. Holmes finished 10th in the U.S. standings.

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot a 72 and is tied for 26th at 4 under.

Roberto Castro, who began the third round tied for the lead, didn’t make a birdie in his round of 74 and fell six shots behind. Worst yet, the Georgia Tech alum who lives in Atlanta hurt his chances of moving into the top 30 who advance to the Tour Championship.

Barring a collapse by Johnson – it has happened before – his big finish after a rain delay earlier Saturday eliminated several players. Adam Scott finally got some putts to drop and with birdies on the last two holes, he shot a 67 and joined Matt Kuchar (68) at 11-under 205.

But they finished before Johnson was done making birdies, and both were seven shots behind.

“I’m certainly a long shot. I’m a long way back of the leaders and some great names on the leaderboard,” Kuchar said. “But I got a chance, and golf on Sunday in fun when you have a chance.”

Jordan Spieth had such a poor day putting that the distance of his total putts added to 30 feet, 6 inches. Spieth routinely makes one putt from that distance in a round. He was helped by two chip-ins, one for birdie and one for eagle , but closing with two straight bogeys gave him a 68. He was 10 shots behind, and his attention turned to a strong finish with hopes of getting one of the top five seeds at East Lake in the Tour Championship.

Anyone in the top five only has to win the Tour Championship to claim the FedEx Cup and its $10 million bonus.

Other Ryder Cup hopefuls didn’t shine. Bubba Watson had to settle for a 72, while Rickie Fowler shot 71 and was tied for 59th.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Greenwich, Connecticut’s David Pastore and French Polynesia’s Vaita Guillaume reached 9-under through 54 holes at Cherry Hill Club on Saturday to share the 54-hole lead at the Niagara Championship, the 11th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

Pastore, a 24-year old University of Virginia grad, took a share of the lead into Saturday and managed an even-par 71 to share the lead with Guillaume, who set the clubhouse mark earlier with a 5-under 66.

The pair sat one stroke ahead of Edmonton, Alberta’s Wil Bateman, Murphys, California’s Erick Justesen, Brewster, New York’s Mike Miller, Concord, North Carolina’s Trevor Cone and Order of Merit leader Dan McCarthy of Syracuse, New York heading into Sunday.

“Today was a bit of a struggle, and I kind of had to grind through the round, but to be tied for the lead, that’s really all I could ask for,” said Pastore, who had a chance to take the lead with an eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole but ran it by and had to settle for par. “The three-putt on the last hole was disappointing, but it’s not going to win or lose the tournament for me.”

Early on, the day looked to belong to NCAA Champion Aaron Wise, who birdied four of his first six holes to take the lead at 11-under. But the 19-year old stumbled with two bogeys and a double coming in to open the door behind him. 12 players will begin Sunday’s final round within three shots of the lead.

For Guillaume, who owns one top-10 finish this year, this week’s solid play marks a stark turnaround from recent struggles, especially on the greens. With Cherry Hill’s slippery bentgrass greens presenting most players with a challenge this week, the 28-year old said he’s feeling as comfortable as ever, freeing him up with the putter.

“Earlier this year, I struggled putting on Poa grass. I’m sure there’s a little bit of it here, but a lot less, and I find the greens a lot easier to read,” said Guillaume. “You take all the pressure off of missing greens, because you can get it up close enough and know you can make it.”

McCarthy, a four-time winner this season, surged to a share of the lead with three straight birdies on the back nine, but dropped a shot coming in to share third place with Bateman, Justesen, Miller and Cone, who fired the round of the day with a 7-under 64.

CARMEL, Ind. – U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson doesn’t care about the physics behind his new putter. Seeing more putts drop is enough for him.

Johnson made two eagles in a span of seven holes, shot 31 on the back nine and set the course record at Crooked Stick on Friday with a 9-under 63 that gave him a share of the lead with Roberto Castro in the BMW Championship.

Johnson didn’t even know he set the course record until Tony Pancake, the golf director at Crooked Stick, congratulated him on the way to the clubhouse.

“I guess no one was ever better than 63,” Johnson said with a shrug and a smile.

Castro was the first player to reach 14-under 130 on the rain-softened course. He kept bogeys off his card, rolled in a pair of 30-foot putts and had another 65 in his last-minute bid to get to the Tour Championship at East Lake, just 15 minutes from his house.

Castro is at No. 53 in the FedEx Cup and only the top 30 make it to the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake and a shot at the $10 million bonus.

Paul Casey, who had the 54-hole lead last week at the TPC Boston until finishing two shots behind Rory McIlroy, had a 66 and was three shots behind.

Johnson has one of the most consistent years with 12 finishes in the top 10, along with victories in the U.S. Open and a World Golf Championship at Firestone. Even so, frustration began to set in when the putts stopped falling, so he switched to the TaylorMade Spider.

“I was just struggling to get the ball to come out on the line I was seeing,” Johnson said. “No matter what I did, how much I practiced, training aids, whatever. It just wasn’t working. So just decided to switch it up.”

When asked about the physics involved, Johnson said, “I don’t go into that stuff _ as long as it goes where I’m looking.”

That said, he did point out he took physics in high school. “I got an ‘A,’ too, bud.”

Johnson already was virtually assured of being among the top five going into the Tour Championship, meaning he only has to win at East Lake to win the FedEx Cup. Along with what he described as “10 million reasons” why he wants to win, other rewards are available. He already is regarded a favourite for PGA Tour player of the year, and he is likely to move ahead of Jason Day in the Vardon Trophy race for the lowest scoring average.

Castro opened a big lead early with three straight birdies on the front nine, and for the longest time, it looked as though no one could catch him.

Johnson holed out a bunker shot for eagle on No. 9, narrowly missed a 45-foot eagle putt on the 11th hole and then surged into the lead. He made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th, rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the next hole and then made an eagle putt from 25 feet on the 15th.

Johnson has 11 victories on the PGA Tour, including a major and a three World Golf Championships.

Castro has gone 125 starts on the PGA Tour without a victory, and he doesn’t hit nearly as long as Johnson _ not many do. Crooked Stick is renowned for favouring big hitters, whether it was John Daly at the 1991 PGA Championship or McIlroy four years ago after a week of rain that made the course even longer.

That didn’t seem to faze Castro.

“It’s a big course. It keeps your attention, which I think helps me,” Castro said. “I think if you look at the tour, it sure helps to be long. But the guy who is striping it usually wins. Couple of my best weeks have come on really long golf courses.”

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., shot a 1-over 73 to fall to 4 under and 19th place.

J.B. Holmes, who finished 10th in the Ryder Cup standings and is in need of a captain’s pick to make his second U.S. team, shot 30 on the back nine and made a strong run at Castro until he was slowed by a bogey on the par-3 third hole and at the par-5 ninth. He wound up with a 65 and was four shots behind, along with Chris Kirk.

Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson also needs a pick, and he delivered a 67 to at least get in the top 10.

McIlroy stalled with three bogeys on his back nine for a 71. Jordan Spieth shot 72 with four bogeys and a double bogey when he pulled a shot into the creek on the 14th. He bounced back with an eagle on the next hole, but there were too many mistakes. They were at 4-under 140, 10 shots out of the lead. Day, the world No. 1, joined them after a 67.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Greenwich, Connecticut’s David Pastore shot a 4-under 67 on Friday at the Cherry Hill Club on Friday to take the 36-hole lead at the Niagara Championship, the 11th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 24-year old Virginia Tech grad, who has been sidelined with a wrist injury for most of the 2016 season, birdied five of six holes on the back nine to reach 9-under overall, one stroke ahead of Plano, Texas’ Paul McConnell heading into the weekend.

“This is kind of new territory for me. I’ve never had the lead before,” said Pastore, who sits 143rd on the Order of Merit and needs a good week to make it into the top 60 and next week’s Freedom 55 Financial Championship. “The goal is to get to London next week, so I really don’t have much to lose this week. I’m happy at this point just to be on the course playing. It’s nice to be playing and playing well.”

Coming off a season where he finished 31st on the Order of Merit with four top-10 finishes, Pastore is looking to make up for lost time earlier this year and build off momentum he gained in 2015.

“Last year was my first year as a pro, and I played consistent,” said Pastore, adding that seeing his peers go on to success on the Web.com Tour boosted his confidence. “I didn’t have any top-5s, but I finished fifth in scoring average. Seeing what some of the other guys have done on the Web.com Tour and to know that I scored lower on average than a lot of those guys definitely gave me confidence and the belief that if I kept doing what I’m doing what I was doing last year would help me get there.”

With six players within two shots of the lead heading to the weekend, Pastore said he would try to stay aggressive, knowing the field won’t stay at bay and low scores will come from behind.

“I think it’s natural to kind of play safe or maybe be a little hesitant, so I’m going to remind myself to be aggressive. I tend by nature to be a little risk-averse, so I’m going to try and keep making birdies because I know I’m going to have to,” said Pastore.

A shot further behind McConnell in a four-way tie for third were Victoria, B.C.’s Cory Renfrew, Brewster, New York’s Mike Miller, Jacksonville, Florida’s Colin Monagle and Order of Merit No. 5 Aaron Wise of Lake Elsinore, California.

CARMEL, Ind. – Roberto Castro wants nothing more than to go home to Atlanta, and he took a soggy step in the right direction Thursday in the BMW Championship.

Castro was just as good before the rain as he was after the storms cleared at Crooked Strick, running off eight birdies until a bogey on his last hole for a 7-under 65 and the temporary lead.

Storms and heavy rain caused a 3 1/2-hour delay and changed the nature of Crooked Stick from fast and firm to greens that were soft and accessible. The delay meant that just under half the 69-man field finished the round.

The first round was to resume at 8 a.m. Friday, with more bad weather in the forecast.

Brian Harman got right back into gear. He was in position to potentially lock up his spot in the Tour Championship until closing with a 77 from the final group at the TPC Boston on Monday. He opened with a 66, with an eagle on the par-5 15th hole and no bogeys on his card.

U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson was within one shot of the lead until he sent his drive into the lake to the right of the 18th fairway and made bogey, giving him a 67 along with Jason Dufner.

Among those still on the course, Chris Kirk was at 5 under at the turn, while Hideki Matsuyama, Paul Casey and Adam Scott were at 4 under on the back nine. Casey had the 54-hole lead last week at the TPC Boston.

Castro went to Georgia Tech and still lives in Atlanta, about 15 minutes from East Lake. That’s the destination for everyone in the field trying to get into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup and advance to the Tour Championship for a shot at the $10 million bonus.

Castro, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour, made it to the Tour Championship in 2013 with a pair of top 10s in the playoffs.

“I told myself the last two weeks really to play like I had nothing to lose, and to make a bunch of birdies is a good way to start,” Castro said. “Sure, it’s a hometown tournament for me. It’s the hardest one to get to, unfortunately, but it’s still a great tournament. I would love to be back.”

He is at No. 53 in the FedEx Cup and likely would need to finish fourth at Crooked Stick to have a chance.

The BMW Championship is back at Crooked Stick for the first time since 2012, when Rory McIlroy won on a rain-softened course. This time, it was blazing hot during the pro-am Wednesday and players had a look at how tough it could play – at least until the rain.

Jason Day played a wedge out of the rough on the second hole, landed it some 30 feet short of the pin and watched it race across the green and into thick rough. After the delay, it was an entirely different golf course. Patrick Reed, who is leading the FedEx Cup, hit a short iron out of dense rough that plopped down 12 feet from the cup.

The course could be attacked, and that’s what the players did.

McIlroy, coming off a victory at the TPC Boston, was at 3 under through 10 holes. Jordan Spieth was at 2 under, both birdies on par 5s on the front nine.

But it was another struggle for Rickie Fowler, bidding for a Ryder Cup captain’s pick. After squandering a chance to make the U.S. team at The Barclays, Fowler was in the middle of the pack at the Deutsche Bank Championship and opened the BMW Championship with a 75.

Bubba Watson, also hopeful of a pick, was 1 under through 13 holes. He followed three straight birdies with three straight bogeys on the front nine.

Day, meanwhile, is set for the Tour Championship and assured of being in the top five in the FedEx Cup, meaning he would only have to win at East Lake to claim the cup and its lucrative bonus. The Australian looked out of sorts after the rain delay, however, missing fairways, missing greens and missing putts. The frustration mounted on the 16th green when he flipped his ball into the water after his third bogey on the back nine.

Day’s biggest putt came on the next hole, however, a birdie from 25 feet that he struck before Reed could even mark his ball. It stopped his slide, sure. But it allowed him to head over to the 18th tee and hit his shot to make sure that his group finished before the horn sounded to stop play.

Ridgeway, Ont. – Texas’ Paul McConnell shot an 8-under 63 Thursday at the Cherry Hill Club to set the competitive course record and take the first round lead at the Niagara Championship, the 11th event of the 2016 Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada season.

The 25-year old University of Texas at Arlington grad fought through 40 km/h winds that gusted north of 60 km/h with nine birdies on the day to build a one stroke lead over California’s Manav Shah after one round at Cherry Hill.

“It was very good. I was making putts and playing solid,” said McConnell, who hit a masterful spinning pitch on 18 to set up a short birdie putt and shoot the new course record, besting a 64 posting earlier in the day by Shah. “I wanted to carry the little slope in the front, and I just opened the face and trusted it.”

McConnell has produced a steady season in 2016, with three top-25s in 10 starts. Earlier this year at the SIGA Dakota Dunes Open, he held the first round lead with an 8-under 64, an experience the second year Mackenzie Tour member said would help him sleep on the lead Thursday night.

“I’m going to try and not think about it too much and just play like I did today,” said McConnell, who went on to finish T24 in Saskatoon, of the experience of topping the leaderboard. “The putts might not drop like today, but I’ll keep fighting.”

At 45th on the Order of Merit, McConnell is all but assured of a spot in the top 60 on the Order of Merit and next week’s season-ending Freedom 55 Financial Championship, and has his sights set on a leg up in the quest to reach the Web.com Tour next season.

“I should be good for London, but those thresholds of top-20, top-10 on the Order of Merit, those are good goals to finish well enough and try and get into that position,” said McConnell.

Earlier, Shah carded an eagle at the 18th hole to shoot 64, while Novi, Michigan’s Wes Gates was a shot further behind with a 6-under 65.

GARDEN CITY, Kansas – Dana Finkelstein (Chandler, Arizona) was using the wrong side of her pin sheet at the start of her round, but she was able to laugh about it after her stellar 7-under, 65 to match the Garden City Charity Classic course record, which was set earlier in the day by Jennifer Ha of Calgary.

Finkelstein and Ha each tallied eight birdies against just one bogey to lead at Buffalo Dunes on Thursday. Olympian Stephanie Meadow (Jordanstown, Northern Ireland) and former LSU golfer Lindsay Gahm (Louisville, Kentucky) share third at 4-under, 68. Last week’s winner, Nelly Korda (Bradenton, Florida), posted a 3-under, 69 and is in a tie for fifth with Michelle Piyapattra (Eastvale, California) and Tracy Stanford (Midland, Texas).

Ha has played the last two weeks on the LPGA Tour during the Canadian swing and used the momentum to post a 7-under, 65.

“In a tournament, this was my best round of the year,” said Ha, who breaks the record shared by Vicky Hurst and Laetitia Beck. “I started off really well with two pars and then three birdies in a row and that kick-started me to a good round today.”

Ha, 22, had to do some scrambling as she hit 9-of-14 fairways, but used a hot flatstick to make up for it. She attempted just 27 putts during her round.

“I hit some errant tee shots today, but I hit a lot of shots inside 20 feet and my putter was working,” said Ha. “When I left myself with 15-20 feet, I was able to make them.”

Ha has played in eight Symetra Tour events this season and has one top 10 finish, a tie for seventh at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship. She posted back-to-back rounds of 69 before the tourney was shortened to 36 holes due to weather.

The former Kent State star spent the last two weeks playing on the LPGA Tour at the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open and the Manulife LPGA Classic. She said she learned a lot and the experience is helping her this week.

“It definitely gave me more confidence going into these rounds thinking that I can play on the LPGA,” said Ha, who missed the cut in both events, but still posted a 71 and a 72. “I played with Maria McBride and she was awesome.

When we talked, she gave me so much confidence and that is what I needed going into this week.

Ha, who was the MAC Golfer of the Year as a junior and First-Team All-MAC as a senior at Kent State, said her first year on Tour has been an adjustment.

“There are so many good players that can shoot 7-under, 8-under every week,” said Ha. “It is definitely hard to keep up.”

Ha ranks 113th on the Volvik Race for the Card money list so her major goal is to play well heading into Stage II of LPGA Qualifying Tournament, which is Oct. 17-23.

She also likes Buffalo Dunes and feels like it suits her game.

“It’s a pretty tough course, the rough is long so if you go in the rough it is penalizing, but thankfully I didn’t,” said Ha. “The greens definitely hold here and I love being able to go at the pins.”