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Bae Sang-moon wins PGA Tour event in Napa

 
Published Oct. 13, 2014

NAPA, Calif. — Bae Sang-moon built a big lead and was steady enough on the back nine at Silverado to win the Frys.com Open on Sunday in the first event of the new PGA Tour season.

He shot 1-over 73, the first player on tour since Ben Crane at the St. Jude Classic in June to win with a final round over par.

"I think I was a little nervous," Bae said. "This course wasn't easy, actually. I'm very, very happy."

Bae, who finished at 15-under 273, won by two over Steven Bowditch, who closed with 67 on a dry, hot day in the Napa Valley.

The only drama came from the 28-year-old South Korean, who was six shots ahead when he made par on No. 10. Bae had a trio of three-putts to start coming back to the field. But no one got closer than two shots all day.

Hunter Mahan looked as if he might make a run when he holed out from 91 yards on No. 13 for eagle to get within two of the lead. But a poor chip on the 15th led to bogey, and he barely got out of the bunker on the par-5 16th that kept him from a birdie.

Mahan closed with 70 and wound up in five-way tie for third with Retief Goosen, Hideki Matsuyama, Martin Laird and Bryce Molder. Zach Blair, the tour rookie who played in the final group, was out of the mix quickly with early bogeys. He shot 74 to tie for 12th.

LPGA: China's Shanshan Feng rallied to win the LPGA Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, playing a six-hole stretch on the back nine in 6 under. Feng, four strokes behind Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum entering the round, closed with a bogey-free 8-under 63 for 18-under 266 and a three-stroke win over Phatlum. Lydia Ko missed a chance to take the No. 1 world ranking from Stacy Lewis. The 17-year-old New Zealander needed to win and have Lewis tie for 12th or worse. Instead, Ko closed with 70 to tie for eighth at 11 under. Lewis had 69 to tie for 21st.

Champions: Kirk Triplett won the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C., for his second win of the year and fourth in three seasons on tour, closing with 3-under 69 and a three-stroke victory over Tom Lehman. Triplett finished at 14-under 202. Bernhard Langer (68) and Kenny Perry (67) tied for third at 10 under.