Around The Links

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This article was published 29/06/2009 (6169 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Birds the word for DeLaet

CALGARY — Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Sask., fired a bogey-free 64 to win the ATB Financial Classic by four strokes on Sunday over Byron Smith, who closed with a 68.

DeLaet finished the tournament with a four-round score 21-under 267 and earned his second Canadian Tour title and first since the Desjardins Montreal Open last August.

Scott Gibson’s 69 moved him into third at 15-under 273 while Mauricio Molina finished fourth at 14 under.

Third round leader Stuart Anderson of Big Valley, Alta., fell to fifth at 275 after a closing-round 73, one ahead of Garrett Frank (67) and two ahead of Andrew Parr of London, Ont., (70).

After parring the first, DeLaet carded six birdies on his next seven holes to hold a three-stroke cushion over Smith after eight holes.

“I’m a little bit speechless,” said DeLaet. “I got off to a great start by one-putting my first seven holes.”

He earned $24,000 with the win and jumps to third on the Order of Merit, the Canadian Tour’s overall money list.

Nielsen overcomes Funk

ENDICOTT, N.Y. — Lonnie Nielsen shot a 9-under 63 on Sunday, passing second-round leader Fred Funk with a flourish on the front side and holding on to win the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open by three shots over Funk and Ronnie Black.

Nielsen, who will turn 56 today, finished at 21-under 195, a record in the three-year history of the event.

After going 6 under over the first four holes to move quickly into the lead, Nielsen made birdie at No. 12 to break a tie with Funk and followed with birdies at Nos. 16 and 18 to win for only the second time on the Champions Tour.

He won the 2007 Commerce Bank Championship, and his best finish this year was a tie for third at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in April.

Shin blows field away

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — South Korea’s Jiyai Shin picked up her fifth title in 11 months with a seven-stroke victory at the Wegmans LPGA on Sunday.

The 21-year-old star from Seoul shot a 1-under 71 to finish in a downpour at 17-under 271.

Kristy McPherson and Yani Tseng each shot a 66, the day’s best score, to surge into a second-place tie at 10 under.

One behind were Japan’s Mika Miyazato (71) and rookies Haeji Kang (71) of South Korea and Stacy Lewis (74), the former NCAA champion from Arkansas.

“I have a lot of tournaments” left to play this year and “maybe I try more wins,” Shin said. “Still, my goal is rookie of the year.”

Elena Sharp of Hamilton carded a final-round 74 to finish the event at 283, 12 shots behind.

Dougherty beaming

MUNICH — England’s Nick Dougherty won the BMW International Open on Sunday after shooting a final-round 64.

Dougherty finished the tournament with a 22-under-par, 266 total to finish one stroke ahead of Argentina’s Rafa Echenique.

Echenique produced an albatross two at the par-five 18th to complete 10-under 62 on Sunday.

South Africa’s Retief Goosen finished third, four strokes back after carding a final-round 71.

— From the news services