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For the Record, Love Wins It

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From Associated Press

Davis Love III birdied three of his first four holes Sunday at The International in Castle Rock, Colo., and cruised to his fourth victory of the season.

Love led wire-to-wire for his 18th career title. He also moved from fourth to first on the PGA Tour money list with $5.1 million heading into this week’s PGA Championship.

Love, who began the final round with 41 points, added five under the scoring system used in this event and beat Vijay Singh and Retief Goosen by a tournament-record 12 points.

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Chris DiMarco was another point back at 33, and John Rollins had 31. Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson each had 26.

Love started quickly, sinking a 25-foot birdie putt on the first hole. After three-putting No. 2 for bogey, he rebounded with two more birdies, making putts of 15 and four feet.

That boosted his lead to 15 points over Rollins, who made four straight pars. The lead went to 16 points after Rollins bogeyed No. 7.

Love saved par at the par-five eighth hole. His second shot settled at the base of a tree and he had to punch out. He then pitched to four feet and made the par putt.

After birdies at the seventh and eighth holes, Singh made a birdie at No. 10 to move to 33 points and cut Love’s lead to 13.

Love saved par after missing the green at Nos. 13 and 14, but his string of pars -- 11 in a row -- ended at the par-three 16th, where he hit his iron in a deep bunker and couldn’t get up and down, taking bogey.

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That dropped Love to 45 points and reduced his lead to 12.

Goosen recorded the lone eagle among the leaders at No. 17, reaching the par-five green in two and sinking a six-foot putt to raise his point total to 34. Singh birdied the 17th for 35 points, and Love’s lead was at 10.

Love, however, ended whatever suspense remained with a two-putt birdie at 17.

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Hee-Won Han made a 25-foot birdie putt on the third hole of sudden death to beat Wendy Ward and win the Wendy’s Championship for Children at Dublin, Ohio.

Han finished at 17-under-par 199 to collect $165,000 for her second win of the year. She beat Meg Mallon last month in the Big Apple Classic.

Han finished with a 66, falling into the playoff when she bogeyed the par-three 17th hole after Ward birdied it. They both parred the closing hole after missing long birdie putts.

Ward, who shot a 63, could have closed it out on the first playoff hole but missed a seven-foot birdie putt after Han overshot the green. Han chipped to three feet and made the par putt.

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Wayne Levi made a four-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the 3M Championship at Blaine, Minn. It’s his first victory on the Champions Tour.

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Levi, who joined the tour in 2002, finished with an 11-under-par 205 to edge Morris Hatalsky and Gil Morgan, who both finished at 10 under. Levi shot 68, 68 and 69 in his three rounds.

Levi’s last victory was at the 1990 Canadian Open. He was the 20th winner in 21 official tournaments this year on the Tour.

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Sophie Gustafson tapped in a routine par putt on the third playoff hole to beat Suzann Pettersen and win the Ladies European Tour HP Open at Stockholm.

Defending champion Annika Sorenstam had two eagles and finished in third place at 17-under-par 271 after a 68.

Pettersen improved the course record -- set Saturday by Gustafson -- by one stroke with a 10-under 62 to set up the playoff. Gustafson shot 68. Both finished regulation at 19-under 269.

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Virada Nirapathpangporn of Thailand beat Jane Park of Oak Valley, 2 and 1, in a 36-hole final to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Gladwyne, Pa.

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