Novak wins Mexico Open by 5 shots and Yamashita gets 2nd LPGA title this year

VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Andrew Novak saw his six-shot lead cut in half until he ran off three straight birdies on the back nine Sunday that sent him to a 2-under 69 and a five-shot victory in the Mexico Open, his first individual title on the PGA Tour.

Novak staked himself to a big lead with rounds of 61-62 the previous two days. But with a soft bogey on the 10th hole, his lead was down to three over Steven Fisk and Mexico-born Norwegian Kristoffer Ventura.

And then it was effectively over. Novak hit a greenside bunker shot to 4 feet on the par-5 12th at Vidanta Vallarta, drove the 13th green to 15 feet for a two-putt birdie, and he ended his decisive run with a 45-foot birdie putt on the 14th.

Fisk and Ventura each closed with a 63, and it was particularly meaningful for Ventura. He was at No. 108 in the FedEx Cup Fall, knowing only the top 100 keep full cards for 2027. The runner-up finish, his best as an individual, moved him to No. 76 and locked up his card.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Darren Fichardt of South Africa made a 10-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole for an 8-under 64 and a one-shot victory over Zach Johnson in the Simmons Bank Championship, his first PGA Tour Champions title to advance to the season finale.

Fichardt’s birdie-eagle finish at Pleasant Valley on Sunday not only moved him 29 spots to No. 17 in the Charles Schwab Cup, he denied Johnson the lead on the points list going into the final event in two weeks.

The top 36 advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix in two weeks. Ricardo Gonzalez tied for seventh and moved up nine spots to No. 31 to advance, while Bo Van Pelt tied for 10th to go from 38th to 34th.

Henrik Stenson was poised to claim one of the 36 spots. He was in a tie for third until a three-putt double bogey on the 15th hole, a bogey on the 16th, a birdie on the par-3 17th and a three-putt bogey on the 18th. He fell to a tie for 15th and missed out by four spots.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Miyu Yamashita held off all challengers with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory and a successful title defense of the Maybank Championship.

Yamashita made five birdies Sunday in winning for the fifth time in her career on the LPGA Tour, and her second victory this season.

Yan Liu of China got into the mix with a 63 in the third round and she stayed close to Yamashita but could never quite close the gap. She shot 68 and finished two behind. Thai amateur Marisa Tojai closed with a 67 and tied for third with Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (69).

TOMARATA, New Zealand (AP) — Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand became the second player to win back-to-back in the Asia-Pacific Amateur with another Sunday comeback, closing with a 1-under 70 for a three-shot victory.

That sends Laopakdee, an Arizona State senior, back to Augusta National in April for the Masters along with a return trip to the British Open next summer at St. Andrews.

Laopakdee, three shots behind with 10 holes to play at Te Arai Links, flipped the script in one hole when he hit his approach just over the false front to 7 feet for a birdie on No. 11, and Zack Swanwick of New Zealand shockingly took a triple bogey from a back bunker.

Swanwick, a junior at Florida who started the day with a two-shot lead, didn't make birdie until the final hole and shot 75.

Julien Sale closed with 7-under 65 for a four-shot victory in the Grand Final on the Challenge Tour to secure his first promotion to the European tour. Hamish Brown of Denmark narrowly held on to second place alone to win the points title. ... Yuto Katsuragawa won for the second week in a row, closing with a 4-under 67 for a one-shot victory in the Vantelin Tokai Classic on the Japan Golf Tour. Katsuragawa was coming off a victory in South Korea at the Genesis Championship on the European tour. ... Casandra Alexander of South Africa shot 8-under 64 for a three-shot victory in the Wistron Ladies Open, her third Ladies European Tour title this year to clinch the points title with two events remaining. ... Jean Hugo closed with a 10-under 62 for a six-shot victory over Greg Owen in the Portugal Legends Championship. ... Shuri Sakuma won for the fourth time this year on the Japan LPGA, closing with a 4-under 68 for a one-shot victory in the Hisako Higuchi Mitsubishi Electric Ladies. ... Yewon Lee closed with a 1-under 71 for a three-shot victory in the S-Oil Championship on the Korea LPGA.

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