Kisner wins first PGA Tour title at RSM Classic

The win might not have been unexpected but the emphatic nature of it perhaps was, winning by six shots over Kevin Chappell and by seven over last recent victor Graeme McDowell. “Any time you think you’re doing great, somebody else is, too”. I’m just going to try to keep making birdies. He’s going to be a strong choice for the Ryder Cup and maybe they should just put me on that team to play with him.

McIlroy was tied for fourth at 8 under after a 68. “If I keep hitting the ball the way I am, I just need to hole a few putts”, he said.

The list includes Hiroshi Iwata of Japan, who shot 63 in the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits this year to tie a major championship record; Rickie Barnes and Jim Herman; and youngsters Michael Kim and Trey Mullinax. From a bunker just short of the green, he used a pitching wedge to make sure the ball got all the way to the back tier. He hit a 10-foot birdie putt at the fourth, a 15-footer at five, a seven-footer at eight and a 30-footer to close the front nine.

McDowell made the putt and made five birdies in a bogey-free round.

For McDowell, victor of the Mayakoba Classic in Mexico last week which brought with it an invite to the Masters next April, it was further confirmation of his return to form. Ko survived giving back three shots within a two-hole span late in her round to stay in the mix. And two weeks ago in Shanghai, he was tied for the lead with Russell Knox and closed with a 2-under 70 to finish two shots behind Knox.

This time, he is equipped with a lead and brings the experience of coping with nerves. “To finish it that way, I couldn’t write it up any better”. Hopefully, that’s how it is tomorrow.

American Kevin Kisner, a runner-up four times this year, captured his first US PGA Tour title Sunday, firing a six-under par 64 to win the RSM Classic by six strokes. “Sixteen is not my favorite tee shot in the world, that left-to-right wind, so to have a really gone and birdie there was clutch”. “That sense of belonging and having a chance to win changes your outlook on yourself and your game on the PGA Tour”.

Chappell overcame back-to-back bogeys early in his round for a 68. That was one of the more automatic mistakes. Made a few birdies, which was nice.

“I remember him telling me, “You can’t play golf scared, ‘” Henley recalled”.

The best example of that was Kisner’s scrambling par at the seventh hole in the worst of the day’s winds. As for the penalty on the opening hole? Tournament host Davis Love III shot a 69 and was 13 shots behind.