NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand made up a two-shot deficit with two holes to play Sunday with an eagle-birdie finish for a 7-under 65, giving her a one-shot victory over Angel Yin and the $4 million prize — the richest in women's golf — at the CME Group Tour Championship.
Yin had a two-shot lead walking to the 17th tee only to wind up settling for the $1 million check as runner-up after closing with a 66.
The win and the massive check came down to the 18th hole, Thitikul and Yin tied at 21-under par after the Thai's key eagle. Yin hit her approach to 15 feet and narrowly missed her birdie try, leaving Thitikul to make her winner. It was the second straight day Thitikul finished eagle-birdie.
Lydia Ko closed with a 63 to finish third. Nelly Korda, who ends her season with seven wins, had a 66 and tied for fifth.
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Maverick McNealy finally became a winner on the final tournament of his fifth year on the PGA Tour, hitting 6-iron to 5 feet for birdie on the 18th hole at Sea Island for a 2-under 68 and a one-shot victory in the RSM Classic.
The victory came in his 134th start as a pro, and it sends him to Maui to start the year at The Sentry and to the Masters in April for the first time.
Daniel Berger missed a 20-foot birdie attempt on the 18th that preceded McNealy’s winner. He tied for second with Nico Echavarria and Florida State sophomore Luke Clanton, both of whom missed par putts from inside 8 feet on the final hole that created the four-way tie.
Berger got a small consolation prize, moving inside the top 125 to keep a full PGA Tour card for 2025 when the fields will be smaller and only the top 100 will keep cards. Henrik Norlander also moved into the top 125, while Joel Dahmen shot 64 to help him stay at No. 124.
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Elvis Smylie closed with a 4-under 67 to win the Australian PGA Championship on Sunday by two shots over former mentor Cameron Smith.
Smylie built a three-shot lead at the turn and held on to finish at 14-under 199 in a tournament reduced to 54 holes when rained washed out Friday's play. Smith, who fell behind with a bogey on the par-5 ninth hole, shot 69.
It was the second straight week Smith had at least a share of the lead going into the final round and failed to win.
Marc Leishman and Anthony Quayle finished three back in a tie for third.
Smylie, the son of former Australian tennis pro Liz Smylie. won the Cameron Smith Scholarship five years ago that allowed him to spend a week at Smith’s Florida home to learn to live and practice as a PGA Tour professional. He now gets a full card on the European tour, which co-sanctioned the event.
Patrick Reed won for the first time in nearly four years, closing with a 4-under 66 to win the Hong Kong Open by three shots on the Asian Tour. Reed shot a 59 in the third round. His last victory was the Farmers Insurance Open in January 2021. He has not won in his three years in the LIV Golf League. ... Hiroshi Iwata made five birdies on the back nine and closed with a 4-under 68 for a one-shot victory over Taisei Shimizu, his seventh career title on the Japan Golf Tour. ... Pieter Moolman closed with a 5-under 67 for a one-shot victory in the PGA Championship on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa. ... Shiho Kuwaki shot even-par 72 to claim a one-shot victory over Sakura Koiwai in the season-ending JLPGA Tour Championship Ricoh Cup on the Japan LPGA.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Maverick McNealy holds the trophy after the final round of the RSM Classic golf tournament, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in St. Simons Island, Ga. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
Jeeno Thitikul, right, smiles on the 18th green after getting a $4,000,000 check for winning the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)
Jeeno Thitikul poses on the 18th green with the LPGA CME Group Tour Championship golf tournament trophy Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Naples, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Tilley)
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) —
Balloting in Uruguay’s runoff election came to a close on Sunday, starting a countdown to the announcement of official results in a tight battle for the presidency between the conservative ruling coalition candidate and his left-wing challenger.
Independent polling firms will start releasing so-called quick counts now that polls have closed, but the official results are not likely to be released for hours. Depending on how tight the vote turns out to be, electoral officials may not call the race for days, as happened in the contentious 2019 runoff that brought center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou to office and ended 15 years of rule by Uruguay’s center-left Broad Front coalition.
Though polls show Uruguayans largely satisfied with the current government’s performance, complaints about sluggish growth, persistent violent crime and stagnant wages could add Uruguay to a long list of countries where frustrated voters have punished incumbents in elections around the world this year.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayans went to the polls Sunday for a second round of voting to choose their next president, with the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month's vote.
The staid election has turned into a hard-fought race between Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party's candidate, and Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, a coalition of leftist and center-left parties that governed for 15 years until the 2019 victory of center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou.
The Broad Front oversaw the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and the sale of marijuana in the small South American nation of 3.4 million people.
Orsi's Broad Front took 44% of the vote while Delgado's National Party won 27% in the first round of voting Oct. 27. But other conservative parties that make up the government coalition — in particular, the Colorado Party — notched 20% of the vote collectively, enough to give Delgado an edge over his challenger.
Congress ended up evenly split in the October vote. Most polls have shown a virtual tie between Delgado and Orsi, with nearly 10% of Uruguayan voters undecided even at this late stage. Many said they believed turnout would be low if voting weren't compulsory in the country.
“Neither candidate convinced me and I feel that there are many in my same situation," said Vanesa Gelezoglo, 31, in the capital, Montevideo, adding she would make up her mind at “the last minute.”
Analysts say the candidates' lackluster campaigns and broad consensus on key issues have generated extraordinary indecision and apathy in an election dominated by discussions about social spending and concerns over income inequality but largely free of the anti-establishment rage that has vaulted populist outsiders to power elsewhere.
“The question of whether Frente Amplio (the Broad Front) raises taxes is not an existential question, unlike what we saw in the U.S. with Trump and Kamala framing each other as threats to democracy," said Nicolás Saldías, a Latin America and Caribbean senior analyst for the London-based Economist Intelligence Unit. “That doesn't exist in Uruguay.”
Both candidates are also appealing to voter angst over a surge in violent crime that has shaken a nation long regarded as one of the region’s safest, with Delgado promising tough-on-crime policies and Orsi advocating a more community-oriented approach.
Delgado, 55, a rural veterinarian with a long career in the National Party, campaigned on a vow to continue the legacy of current President Lacalle Pou — in some ways making the election into a referendum on his leadership. He campaigned under the slogan “re-elect a good government."
While a string of corruption scandals rattled Lacalle Pou's government last year, the president — who constitutionally cannot run for a second consecutive term — now enjoys high approval ratings and a strong economy expected to grow 3.2% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Inflation has also eased in recent months, boosting his coalition.
Delgado served most recently as Secretary of the Presidency for Lacalle Pou and promises to pursue his predecessor's pro-business policies. He would continue pushing for a trade deal with China that has raised hackles in Mercosur, an alliance of South American countries promoting regional commerce.
"We have to give the government coalition a chance to consolidate its proposals,” said Ramiro Pérez, a street vendor voting for Delgado on Sunday.
Orsi, 57, a former history teacher and two-time mayor from a working-class background, is widely seen as the political heir to iconic former President José “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-Marxist guerilla who raised Uruguay's international profile as one of the region's most socially liberal and environmentally sustainable nations during his 2010-2015 term.
“He's my candidate, not only for my sake but also for my children's,” Yeny Varone, a nurse, said of Orsi. “In the future they'll have better working conditions, health and salaries.”
Mujica, now 89 and recovering from esophageal cancer, was among the first to cast his ballot after polls opened.
“Uruguay is a small country, but it has earned recognition for being stable, for having a citizenry that respects institutional formalities,” he told reporters from his local polling station. “This is no small feat.”
While promising to forge a “new left” in Uruguay, Orsi plans no dramatic changes. He proposes tax incentives to lure investment and social security reforms that would lower the retirement age but fall short of a radical overhaul sought by Uruguay's unions.
The contentious plebiscite on whether to boost pension payouts failed to pass in October, with Uruguayans rejecting generous pensions in favor of fiscal constraint.
Both candidates pledged full cooperation with each other if elected.
“I want (Orsi) to know that my idea is to form a government of national unity,” Delgado told reporters after casting his vote in the capital's upscale Pocitos neighborhood. He said that if he won, he and Orsi would chat on Monday over some yerba mate, the traditional herbal drink beloved by Uruguayans.
Orsi similarly pledged a smooth and respectful transition of power, describing Sunday's democratic exercise as “an incredible experience" as he voted in Canelones, the sprawling town of beaches and cattle ranches just north of Montevideo where he served as mayor for a decade.
“The essence of politics is agreements,” he said. “You never end up completely satisfied.”
Associated Press writer Isabel DeBre in Villa Tunari, Bolivia, contributed to this report.
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, talks to a boy after voting in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, waves to supporters after voting accompanied by his wife Leticia Lateulade, right, in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Jon Orbach)
Yeni Varone, a nurse, casts her vote in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter wrapped in a flag of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) arrives to a polling station to vote in the presidential run-off in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Pedestrians pass by Uruguay's national flag and political party banners for sale on the day of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter chooses his preference at polling station in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) talks to a boy after voting in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
A woman votes in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front), talks to journalists after voting in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
A voter seals his ballot during the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Uruguay's former President Jose "Pepe" Mujica sits inside a polling station while waiting to vote in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Ballots of Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi with running mate Carolina Cosse sit on a table outside a polling station in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front), arrives to vote in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, waves after voting in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter wrapped in a flag of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) arrives to a polling station to vote in the presidential run-off in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Alvaro Delgado, candidate for the ruling National Party, votes in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Uruguay's former President Jose "Pepe" Mujica votes in the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024.(AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Yamandu Orsi, presidential candidate from the Frente Amplio (Broad Front), votes in the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Pedestrians pass by Uruguay's national flag and political party banners for sale on the day of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A voter casts his ballot for the presidential run-off election in Canelones, Uruguay, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
A ray of light illuminates a poster of Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi on a street wall covered in ads ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
A poster of Alvaro Delgado, presidential candidate for the ruling National Party, covers a building ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Supporters of Alvaro Delgado, presidential candidate for the ruling National Party, attend his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
Alvaro Delgado, presidential candidate for the ruling National Party, holds his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Montevideo, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich)
Children hold up masks of Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi as they wait for the start of his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Las Piedras, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Frente Amplio presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi holds his closing rally ahead of the presidential run-off election in Las Piedras, Uruguay, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico)
Supporters of Broad Front coalition presidential candidate Yamandu Orsi campaign one day ahead of the presidential run-off election, in Montevideo, Uruguay, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
FILE - This photo combo shows presidential frontrunner Yamandu Orsi, left, of the Broad Front coalition, on Oct. 22, 2024, and opponent, National Party candidate Alvaro Delgado, on Nov. 20, 2024, both in Montevideo, Uruguay. (AP Photo Matilde Campodonico, left; and AP Photo Santiago Mazzarovich, File)
