Brennan wins at Black Desert on an invitation. Australia beats US to win International Crown

IVINS, Utah (AP) — Michael Brennan was just as dominant at Black Desert as he was on the PGA Tour Americas. He closed with a 5-under 66 to go from a sponsor exemption to a PGA Tour winner Sunday with his four-shot victory in the Bank of Utah Championship.

In his first PGA Tour start as a professional, Brennan became the first sponsor exemption to win since Nick Dunlap took The American Express in January 2024 as an amateur.

The victory means Brennan, a 23-year-old who starred at Wake Forest, gets to skip the Korn Ferry Tour next year and go straight to the big leagues. He earned a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, along with a spot in the PGA Championship and the $20 million RBC Heritage.

Brennan was No. 451 in the world when he left the South America portion of the PGA Tour Americas. But he was dominant in Canada (with one win in Minnesota), winning three times in a four-tournament stretch and posting eight top 10s in 10 starts.

Winning the Fortinet Cup season points race gave him a fully exempt Korn Ferry Tour card. Now he’s going straight to the PGA Tour to compete alongside Scottie Scheffler and the rest of golf’s best.

It wasn’t the perfect finish to an otherwise ideal week. He put his second shot into a deep pit with lava rocks, smartly took a penalty shot for an unplayable lie and closed with a bogey. He finished at 22-under 262, four shots clear of Rico Hoey (67).

Brennan was a combination of power and poise at Black Desert Resort, the scenic Tom Weiskopf design framed by the red-rock cliffs and black lava.

Starting the final round with a three-shot lead, Brennan ran off three birdies in his opening five holes to stretch his lead to five shots and he was never seriously challenged.

LPGA Tour

GOYANG, South Korea (AP) — Australia beat the United States Team to win LPGA’s International Crown, taking the title after Minjee Lee and Hannah Green won their singles matches, each on the 17th hole.

The foursomes match between Australians Stephanie Kyriacou and Grace Kim and Americans Lilia Vu and Lauren Coughlin finished in a tie, but was inconsequential when Green secured her 2-and-1 win over Yealimi Noh at the New Korea Country Club. Lee beat Angel Yin, 2 and 1.

It’s the first win for Australia at the match-play tournament, which eluded them in 2023 when current No. 1 ranked Jeeno Thitikul and Thailand beat them in the final at Harding Park.

The World team finished in third place after Charley Hull and Lydia Ko both had impressive victories in their singles matches against Japan.

European Tour

CHEONAN, South Korea (AP) — Jungwhan Lee rallied from a four-shot deficit with a 7-under 64 for a two-shot victory in the Genesis Championship for his first European Tour title.

The victory gives the 34-year-old Lee a two-year exemption on the European Tour, and it sends him to the Abu Dhabi Dhabi HSBC Championship in two weeks, the first of two DP World Tour playoff events.

Lee won by two shots over Laurie Canter and Nacho Elvira. The South Korean birdied five straight holes on the front nine and took the lead with a birdie at 14th. He finished at 11-under 273.

Jordan Gumberg, who played his college golf at Arizona, holed out from 58 yards for eagle on the par-5 18th that moved him into a tie for seventh, and shot him up to No. 110 in the Race to Dubai to keep his card for next year.

PGA Tour Champions

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Steven Alker took over the top ranking in the Charles Schwab Cup when he capped off a wire-to-wire win in the Simmons Bank Championships with a 3-under 69 for a seven-shot victory.

Alker, who opened the tournament with a 61, won for the second time this year on the PGA Tour Champions. Miguel Angel Jimenez has four wins this year, but he has only three top 10s in his last eight starts on the senior circuit.

Alker was never seriously threatened at Pleasant Valley Country Club, and he started the back nine with an eagle-birdie-birdie stretch to pull away.

The top 36 advance to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship next month in Arizona. Tommy Gainey held down the 36th spot and there was no other movement in the standings.

Augusta National and R&A

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Pongsapak “Fifa” Laopakdee rallied from a six-shot deficit with a 4-under 68 and beat 16-year-old Taisei Nagasaki of Japan on the third playoff to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur, sending him to the Masters and British Open next year.

Laopakdee, a junior at Arizona State, became the first player from Thailand to win the championship that began in 2010.

Nagasaki, who started the final round with a five-shot lead over Rintaro Nakano, missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the 18th in regulation and closed with a 74. Both players birdied the 18th and 17th in the playoff until Nagasaki missed the green left on the 18th and made par.

Other tours

Yani Tseng closed with a 5-under 67 for a four-shot victory in the rain-shortened Wistron Ladies Open in her native Taiwan, her first victory in 11 years. The former No. 1 player won for the seventh time on the Ladies European Tour. … Miguel Tabuena shot a third consecutive 7-under 65 for a three-shot victory in the International Series Philippines on the Asian Tour. … Matias Sanchez capped off his wire-to-wire win with a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory in the Webex Players Series-South Australia on the PGA Tour of Australasia. … Hennie du Plessis needed only eight points in the modified Stableford scoring system for a 14-point win in the Blu Label Unlimited Challenge on the Sunshine Tour. … Andrew Marshall captured his first Legends Tour title with a 6-under 66 for a two-shot victory in the Senior Italian Open. … Shuri Sakuma closed with a 5-under 67 for an 11-shot victory over Miyuu Abe in the Nobuta Group Masters on the Japan LPGA. … Shuying Li closed with a 4-under 68 for a two-shot victory in the Gwangnamilbo-Happiness Open on the Korea LPGA.

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