Michael Kim wins French Open for first title in 7 years. LPGA Tour washed out in Arkansas

By Canadian Press on September 21, 2025.

PARIS (AP) — Michael Kim holed a 15-foot par putt on the last hole for a one-shot victory in the French Open on Sunday — his first worldwide title in seven years — while five-time major champion Brooks Koepka faded to a fourth-place finish.

Kim found a greenside bunker on the par-3 18th at Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche and came up short from the sand before rolling in the putt for a closing 6-under 65 and a four-day total of 16-under 268.

The 32-year-old became the first American to win the French Open since Barry Jaeckel in 1972. Other U.S. players to win the title include Walter Hagen and Byron Nelson.

“I kind of blacked out when that putt went in,” said the 64th-ranked Kim, whose last win came in 2018 — by eight shots — at the John Deere Classic on the PGA Tour.

Jeong weon Ko and Elvis Smylie each shot 65 to finish at 15 under. Koepka, who has not won outside the LIV Golf League since the 2023 PGA Championship, began the day tied for the lead but made eight pars and a bogey on the back nine to shoot 68 and finish two shots back.

Koepka was playing a third straight week on the European tour after missing the cut at the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship.

LPGA Tour

ROGERS, Ark. (AP) — The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship was shortened to 18 holes on Sunday after heavy rain left the course unplayable.

Only scores from Friday’s first round were counted, making the tournament unofficial. Sarah Schmelzel and Minami Katsu shared the lead at 8-under 63 and received the unofficial winner’s prize money from a reduced purse. The event does not count toward the season-long Race to the CME Globe.

After play was washed out on Saturday at Pinnacle Country Club, the course received 3 1/4 inches of rain Saturday night, the LPGA announced, adding that it was “highly unlikely” the course could be readied to complete 36 holes on Monday or Tuesday and make the event official.

Had it been official, the event would have had a $3 million purse, with $450,000 to the winner. Under LPGA rules, the payout was reduced to $1.5 million, but tournament sponsors kicked in another $500,000 to be divided evenly among all players in the 144-woman field — $3,500 each.

PGA Tour Champions

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Doug Barron birdied the last three holes at Pebble Beach for a 6-under 66 while his pursuers faltered down the stretch and won the Pure Insurance Championship by one shot on Sunday for his fourth senior victory.

Barron finished at 12-under 204. He trailed Steven Alker by four shots entering the day, and Alker still had a chance to match him with a birdie on the seaside par-5 18th but made bogey for a 72 to finish two shots back with Retief Goosen (65). Vijay Singh was second after he parred the final three holes for a 69.

Fred Couples tied for fifth at 8 under, the 65-year-old’s best finish since February.

Korn Ferry Tour

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — John VanDerLaan closed with a 4-under 67 on Sunday for a three-shot win at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship for his first Korn Ferry Tour victory.

The 29-year-old moved into 15th on the tour’s points list with two events remaining. The top 20 at the end of the season receive PGA Tour cards.

VanDerLaan opened the tournament on Thursday with a course record-tying 9-under 62 on the Scarlet course at Ohio State University.

Other tours

Erica Shepherd closed with a 3-under 69 for a one-shot victory in the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout on the Epson Tour. … Takumi Kanaya beat Ryo Ishikawa with a par on the second playoff hole to win the ANA Open on the Japan Golf Tour. … Kazuki Higa won his second straight Asian Tour title to move atop the tour’s Order of Merit, a two-shot victory at the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Taiwan. … Anna Huang, a 16-year-old Canadian, closed with a 3-under 69 for a seven-shot victory at the La Sella Open on the Ladies European Tour. The rookie led wire to wire and finished at 20-under 268. … Drew Nesbitt beat fellow Canadian A.J. Ewart with a birdie on the third playoff hole to win the Times Colonist Victoria Open on the PGA Tour Americas … Louis Albertse won the Sunbet Challenge on the Sunshine Tour in a playoff over South African countryman Pieter Moolman. … Sora Kamiya closed with a 3-under 69 and won the Sumitomo Life Vitality Ladies Tokai Classic by one shot over Min-Young Lee on the Japan LPGA. … Daeyon Lee won the Hana Financial Group Championship on the Korea LPGA.

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The Associated Press