J. J. Spaun of United States lifts the trophy after winning the PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club in Virginia Water, England, Sunday Sept. 20, 2026. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Republished September 20, 2026 - 6:32 PM
Original Publication Date September 20, 2026 - 4:51 PM
VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — J.J. Spaun responded to his disappointment of being left off the U.S. Presidents Cup team by winning the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday, making four birdies on the last five holes for a 5-under 67 and a two-shot victory in his debut at the European tour’s flagship event.
Spaun, the U.S. Open champion last year at Oakmont, made it three Americans winning at Wentworth in the last six years. It was his second victory of the year.
As well as he finished, Spaun needed plenty of help from Manuel Elvira.
The 30-year-old Spaniard made a 9-foot eagle on the par-5 17th to tie Spaun for the lead and head to the par-5 closing hole needing birdie to win. Elvira chose iron off the tee, leaving him 254 yards from the green. He decided to lay up, but hit that into a bunker. He hit his next shot over the green, dumped a chip into a bunker and finished with a double bogey for a 70.
He tied for second with Masters champion Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and PGA champion Aaron Rai.
PGA Tour
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Jacob Bridgeman rallied from a five-shot deficit with the lowest round of his young PGA Tour career, a 10-under 61 that carried him to a two-shot victory Sunday in the Biltmore Championship Asheville.
His victory came several hours after J.J. Spaun won the BMW PGA Championship on the European tour, making a statement that perhaps he deserved consideration as a Presidents Cup pick for the U.S. team. Bridgeman’s victory was a reminder why he was one of the U.S. picks for the event next week outside Chicago.
The 26-year-old from South Carolina was practically flawless at The Cliffs at Walnut Grove, and given the rain-softened conditions, there was no other choice. J.T. Poston had a 25-foot putt for 59 that he narrowly missed, and Ben James also shot a 61.
Neal Shipley, the 54-hole leader, couldn’t keep pace. He didn’t make his first birdie until the par-5 eighth hole, and by the time he finally was under par for his round it was too late.
PGA Tour Champions
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Zach Johnson won the Pure Insurance Championship on Sunday at foggy Pebble Beach for his second straight PGA Tour Champions victory and the sixth in his first season on the 50-and-over circuit.
Johnson broke a tie with Stewart Cink for the tour victory lead, closing with a 7-under 65 for a two-stroke victory over former LIV player Henrik Stenson, Steven Alker and early starter Rory Sabbatini. Johnson, the Sanford International winner last week in South Dakota, had a 14-under 202 total.
Johnson won the six titles in only 15 starts. The Iowa native won 12 times on the PGA Tour, highlighted by major titles at the 2007 Masters and 2015 British Open.
Sabbatini shot a 63 — the best round of the week — to post at 12 under. He parred the final two holes, finishing as the other leaders were playing the first few holes on the back nine.
Korn Ferry Tour
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Sandy Scott of Scotland rallied from a four-shot deficit with a 6-under 65 for a one-shot victory over John Marshall Butler in the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship on Sunday.
The victory moved Scott to No. 2 on the Korn Ferry Tour points list and assured he will be among the top 20 players who earn PGA Tour cards for the 2027 season.
Scott, who played his college golf at Texas Tech, birdied two of his last three holes on the Scarlett course at Ohio State University to finish at 18-under 266.
Barend Botha of South Africa closed with a 61 and finished third.
Other tours
Charlie Crockett of England won the ATB Classic in Edmonton, Alberta, for his first PGA Tour Americas title. He closed with a 4-under 66 to finish at 18 under — two strokes ahead of three players in the regular-season finale. The top 60 players on the points list qualified for the season-ending Dominican Republic Tour Championship. The final top 10 players will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership next year. ... Kary Hollenbaugh won the Epson Tour’s Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout in Arkansas for her first tour title, beating Kate Smith-Stroh with an eagle on the second hold of a playoff. Juniper Jang dropped out on the first extra hole. ... Pavit Tangkamolprasert holed a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 6-under 66 and a one-shot victory over defending champion Kazuki Higa in the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship on the Asian Tour. ... Hirotaro Naito closed with a 6-under 66 for a five-shot victory in the ANA Open on the Japan Golf Tour. ... Charlotte Health held on for a two-shot victory in the La Sella Open with a 1-over 73 in the final round of La Sella Open in Spain on the Ladies European Tour. ... Sebastian Friedrichsen closed with a 9-under 62 for a three-shot victory in the Portugal Open on Europe’s Challenge Tour. ... Johan Edfors rallied from four shots behind with an 8-under 64 to win the European Legends Cup in Spain on the Legends Tour. ... Shuri Sakuma won for the third time this year on the Japan LPGA when she closed with a 6-under 66 and defeated Sora Kamiya in a playoff at the Sumitomo Life Vitality Ladies Tokai Classic. ... Minsun7 Kim shot 4-under 68 to win the Hana Financial Group Championship on the Korea LPGA.
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