YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Xander Schauffele picked up another meaningful win in Japan, this coming after a frustrating year filled with injury. He closed with a 7-under 64 for a one-shot victory in the Baycurrent Classic, his first title in what likely is his last PGA Tour event of the season.
Schauffele built a two-shot cushion over Max Greyserman with a birdie on the 17th hole at Yokohama Country Club. Greyserman needed to hole out from about 190 yards to have any chance, and his 7-iron stopped inches away for a tap-in birdie and a 65.
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Greyserman was runner-up in Japan for the second straight year.
Schauffele won the PGA Championship and British Open last year, but a rib injury cost him two months of the season and he never regained full form. He missed the Tour Championship for the first time in his career. He also became a father for the first time.
Schauffele now has 10 career tour titles. It was his second big win in Japan, where his mother and mother-in-law grew up. He won the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo in 2021.
European Tour
MADRID (AP) — Marco Penge closed with a 1-over 72 and beat fellow Englishman Daniel Brown in a playoff to win the Spanish Open and secure a spots next year in the Masters and British Open.
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Penge relinquished a four-shot lead but came out on top with a birdie on the first playoff hole to win his third European tour title this year. The 27-year-old Penge also won at the Danish Golf Championship and the Hainan Classic.
It was the first time the Spanish Open offered the winner an automatic spot for the Masters and the British Open.
Brown started five shots back but he made a run after a 4-under 67. That was despite dealing with a right shoulder ailment that required treatment during the back nine. He forced a playoff with a birdie on the final hole.
LPGA Tour
SHANGHAI (AP) — Jeeno Thitikul came from four shots down with five holes to play to force a playoff with Minami Katsu, winning on the fifth extra hole to claim the Buick LPGA Shanghai and become the first two-time LPGA winner of the season.
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The top-ranked Thitikul closed with a 9-under 63 and finished on 24-under 264. Katsu had a two-shot lead at the start and was still four ahead with five holes to play until the Thai made her charge, capped by an eagle on the 17th.
Katsu missed a birdie putt for the win in regulation and shot 65.
Thitikul also won the Mizuho Americas Open in May. Until Sunday, the LPGA had different winners in its previous 25 official tournaments this year.
Korn Ferry Tour
FRENCH LICK, Ind. (AP) — Chandler Blanchet birdied his opening three holes closed with a 6-under 66 to win the Korn Ferry Tour Championship and be among 20 players who earned PGA Tour cards for 2026.
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There was little drama at French Lick Resort on the final day of the season with 20 cards at stake, down from 30 cards awarded a year ago. No one moved into the top 20, with Pontus Nyholm of Sweden finishing at No. 20 with room to spare.
Barend Botha of South Africa came into the week at No. 54 and had to win to move into the top 20. He had the 54-hole lead and was one behind playing the 17th when he failed to save par from short of the green. He shot 70 and finished two shots behind.
Johnny Keefer tied for 12th, but finished atop the points list. He will have full status all of next year on the PGA Tour and earns a spot in the U.S. Open.
PGA Tour Champions
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CARY, N.C. (AP) — Alex Cejka birdied his final two holes for a 1-under 71 to turn a tight lead into a three-shot victory over Ernie Els in the SAS Championship
Cejka won for the fourth time on the PGA Tour Champions, but this was his first victory that was not a senior major.
Ernie Els had a 68 to put some pressure on Cejka, but the German never wavered. He finished at 9-under 207 and moved to No. 10 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings. Els stayed at No. 4 as the circuit now moves into its three-tournament post season.
Bernhard Langer, the 68-year-old German who has won every year since becoming eligible for the PGA Tour Champions in 2007, played in the final group and started three shots behind but closed with a 75.
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Other tours
Shannon Tan rallied from seven shots behind with a 5-under 67, winning the Hero Women’s Indian Open when Alice Hewson hit into the water and made double bogey on the last hole to finish one behind. It was Tan’s third career win on the Ladies European Tour. … Renato Paratore closed with a 6-under 66, including a birdie on the final hole to force a playoff. He defeated Maximilian Steinlechner on the first extra hole to win the Hainan Open, his third Challenge Tour title of the year to earn instant promotion to the European Tour. … Austin Bautista closed with a 2-under 70 to win the WA PGA Championship for his third title of the season on the PGA Tour of Australasia. … Peter Moolman closed with a 6-under 66 for a two-shot victory in the Limpopo Championship on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. … Yui Kawamoto won the fog-shortened Stanley Ladies Honda at 14-under par for a three-shot victory over Chisato Iwai. The tournament was reduced to 45 holes after the cut was made because of the dense fog. … Jungmin Hong closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-shot victory in the K-Food Nolboo-Hwami Masters on the Korea LPGA.
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