Oakville, Ont. – Golf Canada has announced the names of the athletes who have been selected to the new Team Canada Young Pro program.

In all, five athletes – three female and two male – have been chosen to the inaugural Team Canada Young Pro Squad. Developed in partnership with the PGA of Canada and supported in large part by the Golf Canada Foundation, the Young Pro program was created to bridge the gap between amateur and professional performance on the international golfing stage.

“There has been a critical gap for our top amateur golfers making the difficult jump to professional golf and the launch of the Team Canada Young Pro initiative is designed to bridge that gap,” said Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons. “We have seen tremendous results for Team Canada amateur athletes at national, international and collegiate competitions. With the launch of Young Pro, we expect those strong results to carry over to the professional ranks including the PGA and LPGA Tours, the various developmental tours and ultimately the Olympic Games beginning in 2016.”

A trio of LPGA players including Rebecca Lee-Bentham of Toronto, Jennifer Kirby of Paris, Ont., and Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., will join the new Young Pro squad. All three players are graduates of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Squad and have secured full playing status for the LPGA Tour’s 2014 season. Bentham, 22, was the top-earning Canadian on the LPGA Tour last season after finishing a personal best T-11 at the Evian Championship. Kim, 23, secured her full card by finishing in sixth on the LPGA’s Symetra Tour’s Volvik Race to the Card. Kirby, 23, earned her spot after a fifth place finish at the LPGA’s Final Qualifying in December.

“I feel so fortunate to once again, have the opportunity to be a part of a program that is so dedicated to developing players,” said Rebecca Lee-Bentham. “Golf Canada, without a doubt, has helped me tremendously throughout my amateur career and has led me to where I am today. It is an honour to represent Canada each week on the LPGA tour and having the opportunity to play for Canada at the Olympics would mean more than words can describe.”

“I am incredibly grateful to have been selected for the Young Pro program,” said Jennifer Kirby. “Golf Canada has always been supportive of my career and I am proud to be an ambassador of this important program in my inaugural season on the LPGA Tour.”

“I know that with the launch of the Young Pro program, I will get the support I need to further my career and be successful on the LPGA Tour,” said Sue Kim. “Even from my time with the Amateur Team, the coaching staff has gone above and beyond to help develop players.”

On the men’s side, Web.com Tour players Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., and Toronto’s Albin Choi debut as the first two male members of the Team Canada Young Pro program. A two-time Canada Amateur champion, Hughes, 23, finished the 2013 season atop PGA Tour Canada’s Order of Merit after capturing the Cape Breton Celtic Classic. Choi, 22, is also a former Canadian Amateur champion who earned his ticket to the Web.com Tour after a 15th place finish at final qualifying in December.

“I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of Team Canada and the new young pro squad,” said Mackenzie Hughes. “The coaching and support staff has played a big role in my development and my transition to pro golf. I also want to thank the Golf Canada Foundation as well as all the sponsors and donors that have made this program possible.”

I am very excited to be back with the national team and part of the program,” added Albin Choi. “I have been with Team Canada for over six years and have always appreciated the support and having a team around me. Most pros lose that support structure from a national or college team as soon as they turn pro and it’s easy to get lost. It’s great to have an opportunity to have a team behind me with my best interests in mind.”

Each member of the Young Pro squad will receive funding as well as access to Team Canada’s coaching staff and sport science experts. Men’s National Squad coach Derek Ingram and Women’s National Team coach Tristan Mullally will provide coaching to their respective Young Pro players. In addition, the athletes will have access to Team Canada’s sport science staff that includes psychologist, Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, strength and conditioning coach, Jason Glass, nutritionist, Nicole Springle and physiotherapist Greg Redman.

“I congratulate Golf Canada on the launch of this exceptional program,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “The commitment Golf Canada has shown in collaborating with the PGA of Canada in our world class teaching and coaching certification programs is commendable.”

The Team Canada Young Pro initiative has been in the works for more than a year as an extension of Golf Canada’s National Amateur Team program. The 2014 launch is a direct result of the fundraising support of the Golf Canada Foundation.

“On behalf of the board of the Golf Canada Foundation, we’re proud to help support these talented young golfers in their pursuit of competitive golfing excellence,” said Golf Canada Foundation CEO Martin Barnard. “In the coming months, we look forward to announcing more fundraising activities as well as donors and corporate partners to extend the program to more Canadian athletes.”

ABOUT THE ATHLETES:

The 2013 LPGA season was a breakout year for Rebecca Lee-Bentham, who currently sits as the highest ranked Canadian at No. 212 in the women’s Rolex Rankings. Last year, Bentham soared up the rankings after earning medalist honours at LPGA qualifying school and posting a T11 major finish at the LPGA’s Evian Championship. This year, the 22-year-old Toronto native has a season best finish T28 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open and sits at No. 91 in the LPGA’s Race to the CME Globe.

As an amateur, Bentham was the 2011 Canadian Women’s Amateur Champion and the 2010 Canadian Junior Girls Champion. She was also a member of Team Canada’s National squad in 2011 and spent four seasons on the Women’s Development team.

Jennifer Kirby vaulted into the spotlight after winning the 2013 Canadian Women’s Tour Québec stop in her professional debut. The 23-year-old followed up her victory with a T3 finish at the season-ending Tour stop in Ontario, which earned her a second place finish on the Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit. In her first season as a professional, Kirby earned an exemption into the LPGA’s 2013 Manulife Classic where she finished T41 and also played in the 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open. She earned her ticket to the LPGA Tour by finishing fifth at qualifying school in December of 2013. In seven starts this season Kirby’s best finish is a T36 at the JTBC Founders Cup.

Prior to turning professional, the Paris, Ont., native was a member of the 2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Division I National Championship squad. On the national stage, Kirby captured both the 2009 Canadian Women’s Amateur and Canadian Junior Girls titles. She was also a longtime member of Team Canada program, playing for the National Squad in 2012 and 2010 and the Development Team from 2007-2009.

A member of the LPGA’s Symetra Tour in 2013, Sue Kim earned her fully-exempt ticket to the LPGA for the 2014 season after a sixth place finish in Volvik’s Race for Card – Symetra’s Order of Merit. As a professional, the Langley, B.C. native captured the Decatur-Forsyth Classic, alongside two top-3 finishes on the Symetra Tour in 2013. In the 23-year-old’s six LPGA starts last season, her best finish was a T34 at the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic. In 2014, Kim’s best finish is a T45 at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.

As an amateur, Kim was a five-year member of Team Canada’s National Amateur and Development Squad program. During that time she was a two-time champion on the Canadian Women’s Tour professional circuit and also recorded two runner-up finishes at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 2007

Mackenzie Hughes soared into the spotlight after capturing his first professional victory at PGA Tour Canada’s 2013 Cape Breton Classic. Alongside his win, Hughes recorded three other top-10’s that included a T2 finish at The Wildfire Invitational and a T3 at The Players Cup. His strong play secured his playing card for the 2014 Web.com Tour season after finishing in the top spot on PGA Tour Canada’s Order or Merit after starting the season on sponsor’s exemptions.  Last year, the 23-year-old also qualified for the U.S. Open at Merion and the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club. In five starts this season on the Web.com Tour Hughes sits at No. 154 on the money list.

Prior to turning professional, the Dundas, Ont., native had a decorated amateur career that included back-to-back Canadian Amateur titles in 2011 and 2012. Hughes was also a member of Team Canada’s National Squad (2012, 2011) and a Development Squad Member in 2008. As a member of the Kent State Golden Flashes, Hughes picked up three NCAA collegiate victories and was the MAC Freshman of the year in 2009.

Albin Choi notched three top-25 finishes in his rookie season on PGA Tour Canada. The Toronto native finished a season-best T13 at the Cape Breton Classic and secured his full playing card for 2014 after a T17 finish at the season-ending TOUR Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial. As a rookie, Choi began his season playing on sponsor’s exemptions and made five of eight cuts to retain his playing card for 2014 after finishing 52nd on the Order of Merit. Choi earned his ticket to the Web.com Tour after finishing T15 at qualifying school in December. Already this season he’s posted three top-30 finishes as a rookie and currently sits at No. 88 on the money list.

Choi had a highlight filled amateur career that included capturing the 2010 Canadian Men’s Amateur and finishing as the low amateur at the 2012 RBC Canadian Open. The 22-year old was also a member of the victorious Team Canada squad at the 2013 Copas de las Americas championship and was a member of Team Canada’s National Squad in 2012 and 2011. Prior to turning professional, Choi amassed nine NCAA victories during his three years at North Carolina State University.

You can find out more about the Golf Canada Foundation and support these young athletes by donating here.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Tiger Woods described his recovery from back surgery as a “very slow process” that offered him no timetable on when he can return for a summer filled with big championships.

Woods already missed the Masters, choosing to have microdiscectomy surgery March 31 to relieve pain from a pinched nerve.

In a wide-ranging blog on his website Monday, Woods said he is still sore from the incision and his only contact with golf clubs is a few putts and chips that do not require him to rotate his back. He said tests showed no arthritic changes, which he attributed to being in good shape and strong in his legs and abdomen.

“I made the decision to have surgery because physically I just couldn’t make a golf swing,” Woods wrote. “The pretty much sums it up.”

Though he is uncertain when he can even start hitting half-shots, Woods made it sound as though he would not be ready for the U.S. Open on June 12-15 at Pinehurst No. 2, the major championship course where he has the most experience.

“As I’ve said several times, I hope to be back sometime this summer, but I just don’t know when,” Woods said.

The one nonmajor that is important to him is the Quicken Loans National at Congressional, with a new title sponsor stepping in at a tournament that benefits his foundation.

“Whether I’m able to play or not, I’m going to be there to support it,” Woods said.

That tournament is two weeks after the U.S. Open and three weeks before the British Open, with the PGA Championship, FedEx Cup playoffs and Ryder Cup filling out a busy lineup of big-time golf.

“You can understand why I want to hurry up and get better,” Woods said.

Woods, who last played March 9 at Doral, said all he could do was to follow a strength program, listen to the doctors, chart his progress and wait.

“I haven’t used a sand wedge yet,” he said. “I’ve done putting and chip-and-runs using the same length of motion. I haven’t really rotated yet. As far as taking a full swing, I have conference calls with my doctors every couple of weeks to see how my progress is and just kind of chart it out from there. Basically, you just follow a program. It’s tedious because it’s little rehab stuff, but you still have to do it.

“That’s where I think the experiences of having gone through the surgeries in the past have really helped, because you have to lay the foundation down first before you can do the more arduous activities and then return to form,” he said. “I’m walking and able to cycle now and started swimming last week.”

Woods missed the Masters for the first time in his career and said it wasn’t as difficult as some might think to watch on TV. He compared it to the British Open and PGA Championship in 2008, which he missed after reconstructive surgery on his left knee.

He started watching mainly when Fred Couples got into the mix, and he lost a little interest when Couples fell off the pace early in the final round. Woods congratulated Bubba Watson and said Augusta National is suited to left-handed players like Watson and Phil Mickelson who hit a fade, a shot that works well on key holes along the back nine.

On other topics:

-Woods said he has enjoyed spending time with his 6-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son. He says he can’t practice soccer with Sam, and he can’t move quickly when working on baseball drills with Charlie.

-He said it helps to go through rehab at the same time with Olympic ski champion Lindsey Vonn, even though she is further along. “Her sessions are much longer and more developed,” he said. “Her knee is getting stronger and it’s good to see. She hopes to be ready to compete again in December.”

Woods also said he has been texting with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who had “the exact same surgery” in December and couldn’t play the final game of the year. “He just couldn’t function anymore,” Woods said.

The mystery about Woods is that golf requires a sudden, swift rotation through the ball. Plus, Woods said every person responds differently to surgery.

“I’m doing everything I can and listening to my doctors and working on a strength program, and then we just have to see how my back is,” Woods said. “Some people heal up in three months, some people take four months, some people take longer. I just don’t know.”

FORT MYERS, Fla. – South Korea’s Min Seo Kwak won the inaugural Patty Berg Memorial on Sunday at Cypress Lake for her first Symetra Tour title.

The 23-year-old Kwak had four consecutive birdies early on the back nine and finished with a 3-under 69 for a three-stroke victory over Australia’s Stephanie Na.

Kwak’s win came in her 65th start on the tour.

“It’s really nice to win this week. I’ve worked harder this year than I did last year,” Kwak said. “I wish my mom was here to see my win, but it feels great regardless.”

She earned $15,000 to jump from 37th to fourth on the money list with $19,556. The top 10 at the end of the season will earn 2015 LPGA Tour cards.

Runner up Na finished with a 71.

Cindy Feng and Demi Runas tied for third at 2 under. Feng, the money leader with $41,407, had a 71, and Runas shot 69.

Maude-Aimée Leblanc (69-74-76), who sits ninth on the Tour’s money list, was the top finishing Canadian. The Sherbrooke, Que. native finished tied for 22nd at 3-over 219.

Brogan McKinnon (76-73-74) of Mississauga, Ont. and Jessica Wallace (78-71-74) of Langley, B.C. tied for 47th at 7-over 223.

Jessica Shepley (70-74-80) of Oakville, Ont. tied for 54th at 8-over 224, while Erica Rivard (75-74-78) of Tecumseh, Ont. tied for 68th at 11-over par.

VALDOSTA, Ga. – Blayne Barber won the South Georgia Classic on Sunday for his first Web.com Tour title, closing with a 5-under 67 for a two-stroke victory.

The 24-year-old former Auburn player had a 15-under 273 total at Kinderlou Forest. He earned $117,000 to jump from 29th to sixth on the money list with $155,257.

“It feels so great,” Barber said. “I didn’t look at a scoreboard all day and I’m realizing now that it happened. Today was just a blur. I played some good golf and the next thing I know I’m sitting here as a champion. I really didn’t see it coming this week. It really came from out of nowhere.”

He overcame a double bogey on the par-4 12th with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16.

“I feel like I’m not very good at overcoming adversity,” Barber said. “I think the reason I came out on top today was that I just took my hands off the steering wheel a little bit and just played golf and didn’t look at any boards.”

Alex Prugh was second after a 67.

Third-round leader Carlos Ortiz, trying to earn an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour as a three-time winner this season, had a 72 to finish third at 12 under. The Mexican player earned $44,200 to push his tour-leading total to $363,058.

Greg Owen (69), Ryan Armour (70) and Monday qualifier Rob Oppenheim (72) tied for fourth at 11 under.

Roger Sloan of Merrit, B.C. (70-72-69-70) tied for 14th at 7-under 281.

CARMEL, Ind. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners captured medalist honours on Sunday, lifting Kent State to a record sixth consecutive Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship title.

Conners, a Listowel, Ont. native, finished at 11-under par (72-67-65-73) thru 72 holes. The 21-year-old’s play was highlighted by a third round hole-in-one on the par 3 12th – the fourth of his young career. The ace boosted Conners to a tournament low 65, good for a six stroke cushion heading into Sunday’s final round.

The Kent State senior went on to shoot 73 and capture his second title in three years (he won it back in 2012). His final year now features three NCAA titles – he won the General Hackler Championship and Davidson Invitational earlier in the season. Along with his NCAA victories, Conners took home the prestigious Jones Cup in February, one of the highest ranked amateur events in the world.

Taylor Pendrith, also a member of Team Canada, finished runner-up behind Kent State teammate Conners at 6-under par. Pendrith, a native of Richmond Hill, Ont., was the only player to shoot under par in each of the four rounds. The long-driving senior won last year’s title, making this the third consecutive year a Canadian has won the MAC medalist honours.

Collectively, the Kent State Golden Flashes ended with a 10-stroke victory over Toledo and Akron to win the conference championship. The Kent State women’s team, featuring three Canadians, also took home the conference championship just one week earlier for the 16^th straight time.

Conners, Pendrith and the Golden Flashes will look to continue their success next week at the NCAA Regionals from May 15-17.

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Bernhard Langer won the Champions Tour’s Insperity Invitational for the third time, closing with a 1-under 71 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Fred Couples.

Langer finished at 11-under 205 at The Woodlands to become the 10th 20-time winner on the 50-and-over tour.

The 56-year-old German player also won the 2007 event at Augusta Pines and successfully defended his title in 2008 at The Woodlands. He opened this season with a victory in Hawaii.

“I’m hoping to add to that number,” Langer said. “I hope I’m not done yet. I’m very blessed to have won 20 times in 6 1/2 years. It’s been a great run and a wonderful achievement. I just feel like I’m playing some of my best golf in my career.”

Couples, the former University of Houston player who won the 2010 event, finished with a 67. He won in March in Newport Beach, California.

“On a golf course as hard as this, you can’t really play relaxed golf,” Couples said. “You have to pay attention to what you’re doing. I didn’t hit enough good shots to shoot a lot lower to catch Bernhard, although I got close to him.”

Colin Montgomerie was third at 9 under after a 70. His best finish on the tour is second in March in Newport Beach. The Scot had no complaints about his finish.

“If you’re second, third to Couples and Langer, you’re doing OK,” Montgomerie said.

Esteban Toledo, the winner last year, was 7 under after a 71. Jay Haas and Tom Pernice Jr. tied for fifth at 6 under. Haas shot his third straight 70, and Pernice had a 71.

Rod Spittle (71-70-71) finished at 4-under par 212, good enough for a tie for 9th. The St. Catharines, Ont. native tied with Fred Funk, Jeff Maggert, Tom Byrum and Bart Bryant.

Victoria, B.C.’s Jim Rutledge was the other Canadian in the field. He tied for 35th at 4-over 220.

IRVING, Texas – There was no near-miss for Stacy Lewis this time.

This was a runaway for the highest-ranked American after six runner-up finishes in her previous 16 tournaments.

Lewis shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday in the North Texas LPGA Shootout, finishing at 16-under 268 and six strokes ahead of Meena Lee. It was the LPGA Tour’s largest margin of victory since Jiyai Shin won the 2012 Women’s British Open by nine.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. I kind of have these mini goals in the back of my mind,” Lewis said. “One of them was kind of taking a tournament and running away with it. … So to be so close the last few weeks and then to come out and shoot 64, I mean I don’t even know what to say.”

It was the ninth career LPGA Tour victory for Lewis, her first since August in the Women’s British Open, and will boost the Texan from third to second in the world ranking.

Lewis made a putt from about 25 feet off the fringe at the 540-yard seventh for an eagle. She followed with consecutive birdies to make the turn at 14 under and up by three strokes.

“The eagle just really kind of got things going in the right direction, and then just I never let up,” said Lewis, who punctuated her round with birdies on Nos. 17 and 18. “I never let the hammer down.”

Lee, the South Korean who won the last her two LPGA Tour titles in 2006, shot 70 after going into the final round at Las Colinas Country Club tied with Lewis for the lead. Lee bogeyed the opening hole and needed a birdie at No. 18 to finish alone in second place.

Michelle Wie, who closed within two before faltering late, had a 67 to finish third at 9 under.

Na Yeon Choi (69) and Kim Kauffman (70) tied for fourth at 8 under. Kraft Nabisco winner Lexi Thompson (69), Cristie Kerr (71) and Suzann Pettersen (72) were among six players at 7 under.

Lewis, from The Woodlands near Houston, has finished outside the top six only once in nine tournaments this year. She was third at the Kraft Nabisco and had another runner-up finish just last week in San Francisco. She had three runner-up finishes in her last eight tournaments in 2013 after her victory at St. Andrews.

Lewis got a share of the lead in Texas after a frustrating 69 in the third round Saturday when she hit all 18 greens in regulation but missed several makeable birdie putts.

“Honestly, I didn’t change anything. I didn’t do anything different,” she said. “They just didn’t go in (Saturday). … But once you see putts in, it’s kind of contagious.”

Defending champion Inbee Park closed with a 72 to tie for 14th at finish at 5 under. That will be good enough when the new world ranking comes out to stay No. 1 for the 56th consecutive week since the South Korean replaced Lewis at the top.

Lewis will supplant Lydia Ko in the second spot. Ko, who didn’t play in North Texas, moved to No. 2 after her win last week in San Francisco only days after her 17th birthday.

Canada’s Alena Sharp was one of four players who tied Park for 14th spot. Sharp, who started the final round in a tie for 18th, climbed four spots up the leaderboard Sunday thanks to a 1-under 70. She finished at 5-under 279.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – More than two years after going through brain surgery, J.B. Holmes is a winner again on the PGA Tour.

Holmes made it harder than he needed to on the final hole at Quail Hollow until rapping in a 3-foot bogey putt for a 1-under 71 and a one-shot victory over Jim Furyk in the Wells Fargo Championship. Furyk finished his Sunday-best 65 some two hours earlier.

Jason Bohn had the best chance to catch Holmes. He was one shot behind when he pulled a 4-iron into the water on the par-3 17th, making double bogey. Phil Mickelson never had a chance, missing four putts from the 4-foot range and closing with a 76 to finish out of the top 10.

The victory capped a remarkable turnaround for Holmes, who won for the third time in his career.

He was diagnosed in 2011 with structural defects in the cerebellum known as Chiara malformations, and he had surgery twice – once to remove a piece of his skull that he still keeps at home, another because of an allergic reaction to the adhesive on the titanium plate at the base of his skull.

Then, he injured his elbow by hitting too many balls in an attempt to return from the brain surgery. He didn’t bother having surgery on his elbow until last year, when he was sidelined by a broken ankle and couldn’t play, anyway.

Only last week, Holmes earned enough money to keep his card for the rest of the year from a medical extension. Now, he’s headed to The Players Championship next week for the richest prize in golf, and more importantly, secured a spot in the PGA Championship this summer in his native Kentucky.

“It’s been a long journey for me,” Holmes said. “I’ve had some ups and downs. It’s a great feeling to be out there and to get one done.”

His only other victories were in the Phoenix Open in 2006 and 2008.

Holmes made enough key putts to allow for some mistakes at the end. He ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn, including a 30-footer on No. 11 that opened up a two-shot lead. He gouged a fairway metal out of the rough on the par-5 15th to set up a 6-foot birdie putt that stretched his lead to three shots.

Perhaps the biggest putt of all was an 8-foot par save on the 17th hole. That kept his lead at two shots, and he needed it. Instead of playing an iron off the tee, he drove into the right rough, came up well short of the green and chipped weakly to 45 feet.

Furyk was watching on TV in the locker room when Holmes knocked in the bogey putt to finish at 14-under 274.

Martin Flores, in his first time playing in the last group, fell too far back with a three-putt bogey on the 13th. He made bogey on the 18th for a 72 and was third, the best finish of his PGA Tour career. Bohn also bogeyed the 18th for a 70 to finish fourth.

Bohn received a bad time on the 16th hole – one more would have been a one-shot penalty – and said he let it get to him.

“I didn’t feel comfortable with the wind starting to gust up a little bit, and I went ahead and hit it anyhow in a situation that I probably would have backed off in,” Bohn said. “So I’m more disappointing in myself and the way that I handled that than the golf shots that I hit.”

Still, the biggest disappointment might have been Mickelson.

He was in great shape going into the final round, two shots out of the lead, and the two players ahead of him stalled at the start. Instead, Mickelson matched his highest final round on the PGA Tour since The Barclays in 2012. And it was an old nemesis – short putting – that did him in. Mickelson three-putted from 15 feet on No. 8. He missed a 3-foot par putt on the 11th, a 4-foot birdie putt on the 14th and four-putted from 30 feet on the 16th.

“I had two great rounds and I had two pathetic rounds this week,” Mickelson said. “The greens putted perfectly, even though I didn’t.”

The challenge came three others, with a series of eagles that injected some drama into Quail Hollow, if only briefly.

Furyk chipped in for eagle from off the 15th green and then closed with three straight pars for a 65 to sit in the clubhouse at 13-under 275. Bohn holed out a sand wedge from 95 yards on the par-5 10th hole that disappeared into the cup on the third bounce. He also chipped in for birdie on No. 12.

Flores chipped in for eagle from short of the 10th green that allowed him to tie for the lead, but only until Holmes made a short birdie putt of his own on No. 10. Holmes ran in the long birdie putt on the next hole for a two-shot lead, and he stayed in control the rest of the way.

David Hearn shot an even-par 72 Sunday to finish tied for 44th at 1-under 287.

Mike Weir had trouble finding the bottom of the cup, firing a 5-over 77 on the day to finish tied for 57th at 2-over 290.

SINGAPORE – Felipe Aguilar surged into the lead at The Championship at Laguna National with a stunning back-nine 28 – capped by a birdie on the par-3 17th and an eagle on the par-4 18th – and then had to wait to see if anyone could catch him.

Co-overnight leader Anders Hansen was the last golfer to have a chance, but he failed to birdie his final two holes to force a playoff, giving Aguilar his first European Tour title in six years.

The Chilean shot a final round 10-under 62 to finish at 22-under 266, one stroke ahead of Hansen and American David Lipsky in joint-second.

“Yesterday I thought I had no chance,” Aguilar said. “Today I said to my caddie on the 17th after I made a birdie, `If we can make a birdie on 18 we can put some pressure on the leader,’ and he said `What about making a two?’ I said to him the way I had been hitting the ball I could well do two and I did. It’s very, very special.”

Hansen, who recently returned to the tour after a six-month layoff due to wrist surgery, had led by three shots after a birdie on the 12th hole but could not match Aguilar’s impressive finish. He bogeyed the 16th and then shot even par on the final two.

“What can you say? I heard (Aguilar) finished two, two. It’s just one of those days,” Hansen said. “It’s just really, really disappointing.”

Lipsky also tried to keep pace with three birdies on his back nine, but he fell just short of capturing his first European Tour title.

“I was still trying to give it a run even on the last hole,” he said. “I was still trying to do everything I can to win.”

Aguilar started the day four shots back in equal-seventh, but started to climb into contention with four straight birdies after the turn on holes 10-13. After birdieing the par-5 15th, he then sank a 10-footer for another birdie on the 17th and holed his approach shot for eagle on the 18th.

“I got a bit lucky,” he said. “I hit one of my best shots on 17 and then again on 18.”

The Chilean, who’s been dealing with a sore wrist he injured while mountain biking, won for just the second time on the European Tour, his previous title coming in Indonesia in 2008.

“It’s been a bit of a drought for six years. I’ve lost a couple of times in play-offs and had a couple of top-threes and top-fives, but never was able to get the round going on the last day, so it is nice to finally do it,” he said.

Hansen was aiming for his first title since the Joburg Open in 2009. He was playing in just his fourth event since surgery last year and was coming off a joint-fifth finish last week at the China Open.

“Obviously, the last two weeks have been really, really good,” he said. “I’ve hit the ball really well and putted nicely so there is not much to say. I can’t really blame myself for this.”

India’s Rahil Gangjee birdied his final five holes to finish in fourth place at 19 under, a stroke ahead of England’s Chris Wood (67) in sole fifth.

Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand couldn’t keep up the form that saw him lead after the first two rounds and share the lead with Hansen after the third. He slumped to a 74 on Sunday after two bogeys and a double bogey, falling to joint-11th place.

IRVING, Texas – Stacy Lewis was holding her 3-year-old nephew after a frustrating round when someone asked the little boy what his aunt could do better.

“Make some putts,” little Cole Wysocki said.

Aunt Stacy, who had whispered the response into his ear, wholeheartedly agreed.

Missing several makeable putts Saturday, including a birdie chance on the 18th hole, Lewis shot a 2-under 69 to grab a share of the lead with South Korea’s Meena Lee after three rounds at the North Texas LPGA Shootout.

“I hit the ball so good today, especially on the back nine, gave myself a lot of good looks at birdie, and I couldn’t get a putt to go in,” Lewis said. “I had so many that they just went right over the top edge and finished right behind the hole. … The encouraging thing is that I’m hitting the ball great. I have a lot of control over the different shots I’m trying to hit.”

Lewis, the third-ranked player in the world, dropped her head when the final birdie chance rolled just left of the hole after getting over the green at the 518-yard, par-5 18th in two shots. The Texan matched Lee at 9-under 204.

In nearly ideal scoring conditions with little if any wind, Lee shot 70 with plenty of near-misses, too.

“It definitely is going to be the putting,” Lee said about what she needs to do Sunday to get her first win since 2006. “I didn’t really take advantage of a lot of birdie chances today, so I want to make more birdies tomorrow and see how it goes.”

First-round leader Suzann Pettersen, Dori Carter and Julieta Granada shot 68 and were a stroke behind the leaders.

Cristie Kerr (69), Christina Kim (70) and Natalie Gulbis (71) were among seven players tied at 7 under and only two strokes off the lead. Also in that group was 22-year-old Jennifer Johnson, who had an opening bogey before shooting a 65 for the best round of the day at Las Colinas Country Club.

But Caroline Masson, who shared the second-round lead with Lee, followed consecutive 67s with a 75 to fall five strokes back.

Lewis is an eight-time LPGA Tour winner, but has had six runner-up finishes in 18 starts since winning the Women’s British Open in August. She finished worse than sixth only once in the first eight events this year, including second in San Francisco last week.

After a bogey-free 64 with only 26 putts in the second round, Lewis hit all 18 greens in regulation Saturday – even while hitting only seven of 13 fairways. But she needed 34 putts.

“It’s golf. As many rounds as we play, you know, you’re going to hit some putts that you think are going to miss and they end up going in,” she said. “It’s just the way it is sometimes, and the thing about it is that I hit my lines. I hit it the right speed. You know, it wasn’t like they were going way by the hole or anything. They were just tap-ins coming back.”

Lee had the lead alone at 10 under after consecutive birdies. The second of those birdies came after an approach to within a few feet at the par-5 seventh hole, and was her last of the day.

On the par-3 13th hole, Lee was still 10 under when her tee shot went over the green and she pitched past the hole before a par-saving putt. Lewis then had a birdie chance slide just past to hole to remain a stroke back.

Lee’s approach at the 416-yard 14th hole settled near a scoring tower by the green and a par putt came up just short of going in the hole. Lewis got even, though she looked up in frustration when a birdie chance for the outright lead rolled just right of the hole.

“I’m doing a lot of good things. The encouraging thing is that I’m tied for the lead,” Lewis said. “Even with all the missed shots today, I’m still tied for the lead and I have a chance for tomorrow.”

Inbee Park, the No. 1 player in the world and the defending champion, shot 68 and was only three strokes back.

Alena Sharp and Lorie Kane both had exceptional rounds Saturday and are tied for 18th at 4-under 209 heading into the final round. Sharp carded a 5-under 66 Saturday, while Kane had a 4-under 67.

When the initial cut was made at 2 over after the second round, 74 of the original 144-player field made it. There was another cut after the third round, with 51 players advancing to Sunday at even par or better.