Morning 9: Finau victorious in Mexico | Green wins again | Gooch back-to-back

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Golf fans, good morning! Tony Finau is back in the winners’ circle after an impressive performance at the Mexico Open.

1. Finau wins 6th PGA Tour title

AP report …”Finau didn’t give Masters champion Jon Rahm, or anyone else, much of a shot Sunday. He closed with a bogey free round of 5-under 66 which gave him a 3-shot victory in Mexico Open at Vidanta.”

• Finau has earned some redemption in Vallarta Vidanta where he was runner-up last year to Rahm, by just one shot. Finau led by two shots going into the final round, and was never challenged on the back 9.

• “… Brandon Wu, who was also the runner-up in the championship last year, made a 45-foot birdie putt at the par-5 6th hole, and then a short one on the 7th hole, to briefly tie the lead. Finau responded with a birdie at the seventh hole, and Wu then fell behind with a bogey in the bunker. “8 and a tee-shot into the water at the 10th hole that led to bogey.”

2. LPGA: Green wins playoff

AP Report …”Hannah Green, of Australia, made a 25-foot putt to enter a three-way play-off on her last hole of regulation. She then made par on second extra hole at Wilshire Country club to win the JM Eagle LA Championship.

• Green, Aditi Ashok and Xiyu Li of China will play in the playoff after a wild finish in which five players tied for the lead in the final round.

• “Ashok who was the 36-hole leader, and Lin both closed with a score of 67, and were the first players to reach 9-under-275. Green and Lin both birdied the 18th par-3 hole, the first playoff.

• “On the second additional hole at No. Lin missed his par putt after hitting into a bunker on 18. Green was left to tap-in from 2 feet, her first LPGA victory since September 2019.

3. DP World: Pablo Larrazabal wins Korea Championship

DP World Tour report …” “A tight battle took place at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, on Sunday afternoon. Larrazabal found himself in a share of the leading five players on nine-under when he reached turn after two birdies on the front-nine.”

• The Spaniard dropped from the top after dropping his first ball of the round on the tenth hole, but then roared to life and made four birdies in five holes. He now has a three-shot advantage.

• He then parred his way to a 67 in the final round, finishing on 12 under par. This was just a few weeks before his 40th Birthday.

4. LIV: Gooch wins again

BBC report …”American Talor Gooch defeated Spain’s Sergio Garcia in Singapore on the first hole of the play-off to win back-to-back LIV Tour titles.”

• “Gooch and 2017 Masters Champion Garcia birdied their final hole to finish with four-under-67s and 17 under.”

• They replayed 18th hole and Gooch made a birdie for the win.

• Gooch, who won his first LIV Golf championship the weekend before in Adelaide, said: “This is just as good as it can get, plain and simply.”

5. Jim Nantz wins Dave Marr award

Adam Schupak, Golfweek’s …”Jim Nantz didn’t know he had won the 2023 Dave Marr award.”

• “The golf voice for CBS Sports, in addition to his other duties, has been a part each year of the Insperity Invitational Players Dinner – an annual tradition which began in 2005, celebrating golf legends from the PGA Tour Champions.”

• On Thursday evening, tournament officials presented Nantz with a prestigious award that is given every year for his contributions and passion towards the game of Golf.

6. What is the best way to achieve success?

Golf Channel’s Colby Powell …” “Bhatia has had a lot of fun on the greens this week, thanks to AimPoint, a method that many players use to learn the greens.”

• This season, Bhatia is 174th in the PGA Tour’s strokes gained category: putting. He loses just over half a shot to the rest of the field per round. He is second this week in the category of strokes gained: putting, and has gained more than 6.2 shot for the week.

• Bhatia stated, “It is pretty cool that I can make more putts. My speed has improved and I am more confident in where I aim the ball. I also know my stroke is really good, and I roll very well and consistently.” It’s exciting to me just keep learning and getting better, because this is my first week of doing it. I like it.

7. Tiger Talk LIV with Talor G?

Gabrielle Herzig, SI …”Gooch joined the Fore the People Podcast with J.J. Killeen & John Peterson and recounted a conversation with the 15-time Major Champion that took place on the Augusta National Driving Range.”

• Gooch said that Woods seemed to be comfortable talking about LIV Golf teams and the schedule while he was warming up despite his public criticism of this league.

• Gooch told Killeen, and Peterson a humorous story. “One morning, Tiger was right beside me as I warmed up at Augusta. “Man, you are with Bubba’s team now right?” I replied, “Yeah.” He then asked, “You all going to Adelaide right?” I replied, “Yeah.” He said, “Man, they have some great golf in Adelaide.”

8. Rahm and Scheffler choose to opt out of designated events

Brentley Romine, Golf Channel …”The PGA Tour continues its designated events at the Wells Fargo Championship next week.”

• “Rory McIlroy is the leader of the field. He skipped the RBC Heritage after he missed the Masters cut. McIlroy is ranked No. The highest-ranked golfer at Quail hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, is McIlroy, at No.

• “Nos. “No. 1 and 2, Jon Rahm, and Scottie Schreffler did not commit themselves to play, marking their first missed designated event.”

9. Winning WITB: Tony Finau

Driver: Ping G425 LST (9 degrees @7.5)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 70 TX

3-wood: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond T (14 degrees)

Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 80 TX

Irons: Nike Vapor Fly Pro (3-PW), Ping Blueprint (4 PW)

Shafts: Tour AD DI 105 Hybrid X (3), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 TX

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 (50-12SS, 56-12SS), Titleist Vokey Design WedgeWorks Proto (60-T)

Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 125 Wedge S

Putter: Ping PLD Anser prototype

Grip: Garsen Golf Ultimate

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left Dot

Grips: Lamkin Mid UTx