Russell Knox wins HSBC Champions title for first PGA Tour victory

Russell Knox raised both arms in the air, closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the heavens as if he couldn’t believe what he had just done.

Dating to when the World Golf Championship began in 1999, no one had ever won in his debut. Knox wasn’t even eligible for the HSBC Champions until he got in 10 days ago as an alternate, and then it was a mad scramble in Malaysia to get a Chinese visa in time to play.

Walking out of the Sheshan International clubhouse in Shanghai on Sunday with a share of the 54-hole lead, Knox noticed a billboard with names and images of past winners at the HSBC Champions — Phil Mickelson and Martin Kaymer, Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson.

“Everyone who wins this tournament is a superstar,” Knox said. “I knew this would be the hardest day in my life.”

For a 30-year-old from Scotland who had never won in 92 previous tries on the PGA Tour, Knox made it look like a breeze. He broke out of a five-way tie for the lead with two quick birdies to start the back nine and was flawless the rest of the way for a 4-under 68 and a two-shot victory over Kevin Kisner.

“I always thought I was going to win a big one for my first one,” he said. “But this is going to take a long time to sink in.”

He played alongside Johnson, whose power can be so intimidating that Knox didn’t watch him hit a shot for 12 holes. In the group ahead was Jordan Spieth, on his way back to No. 1 in the world. The cheers were for Li Haotong, the 20-year-old from Shanghai who received rock-star treatment during a wild final round that ended with the best finish ever by a Chinese player on the PGA Tour.

Knox finished at 20-under 268 and earned $1.4 million, along with perks that include his first trip to the Masters in April.

It was the fourth runner-up this year for Kisner — the other three were in playoffs. He closed with a 70, though his birdie putt on the 18th hole was worth an additional $285,000, a small consolation.

His birdie was expensive for Danny Willett, who closed with a 62 and tied for third with Ross Fisher (68). If Kisner had not made birdie on the final hole, Willett would have overtaken Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai on the European Tour. Willett is playing next week in the BMW Masters in Shanghai — McIlroy is not — and even if he doesn’t pass him, the Race to Dubai will come down to the final event.

McIlroy closed with a 50-foot birdie putt for a 66, ending a week in which his energy was low while recovering from food poisoning, and his putter was cold, as it has been since he returned in August from his ankle injury.

Spieth, who started the final round three shots behind, didn’t feel comfortable with his swing and didn’t make enough putts in his round of 70. Two birdies on the back nine at least allowed him to tie for seventh, and that was enough to move back to No. 1 in the world. Johnson finished four shots back.

Andrade wins Champions Tour finale; Langer takes points title

Billy Andrade won the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Scottsdale, Ariz., beating Champions Tour points winner Bernhard Langer with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

Andrade two-putted from the back fringe on the par-5 18th, holing a 2 1/2-footer for his third victory of the year on the 50-and-over tour.

The 51-year-old Andrade closed with a 6-under 64 at Desert Mountain, making a 10-foot birdie putt on 18 to post at 14-under 266.

Langer missed a chance to win on 18 in regulation when his 18-foot eagle putt lipped out. He finished with a 67, then failed to get up-and-down for birdie from the right greenside rough in the playoff.

The 58-year-old German star won the Charles Schwab Cup points title for the second straight year and record third time overall, earning a $1 million annuity. He easily beat Colin Montgomerie and Jeff Maggert in the points race after entering the week third in the standings.

Langer also won the money title for the record fourth straight year and record seventh time in eight years, finishing with $2,340,288.

Sanderson Farms Championship to continue Monday

Roberto Castro clung to a one-stroke lead in the Sanderson Farms Championship after playing the first six holes in the suspended third round at two over par.

Play was suspended because of darkness at the Country Club of Jackson in Mississippi and will resume Monday morning with the final round following immediately.

It has been a soggy, stop-and-start tournament that has required plenty of patience. Several players had their second rounds stretch over three days from Friday to Sunday as rain swept through the area.

Castro was at 13 under He started play Sunday with a four-stroke lead, but quickly fell back toward the pack with bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4. They were his first two bogeys of the tournament.

Former tournament champion D.J. Trahan and Michael Thompson were a shot back. Boo Weekley, Patrick Rodgers and Jhonattan Vegas were among seven players two shots back.

Ahn wins LGPA Tour’s Japan Classic

Sun-Ju Ahn won the Toto Japan Classic in Shima for her first LPGA Tour victory and 20th Japan LPGA title, beating fellow South Korean player Ji-Hee Lee and American Angela Stanford with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

The 28-year-old Ahn closed with a five-under 67 at Kintetsu Kashikojima to match Stanford and Lee at 16-under 200. Stanford also shot 67, and Lee had a 66. Ahn also won the Japanese tour’s Century 21 Ladies in July.

The 37-year-old Stanford won the last of her five LPGA Tour titles in 2012. She dropped to 1-4 in playoffs, including a loss in the 2003 U.S. Women’s Open.

South Korea’s Jenny Shin, the second-round leader, had a 70 to finish a stroke back.

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn closed with a 64 — the best round of the week — to finish fifth at 14 under. She began the day tied for 29th.

Third-ranked Stacy Lewis and No. 4 Lexi Thompson topped the group at 12 under. Lewis shot a 68, and Thompson had a 69. Thompson won three weeks ago in South Korea for her second victory of the year. Michelle Wie tied for 59th at two under after a 71. She was one of 21 women to play in all five events on the Asian Swing.