SILVIS, Ill. — Michael Kim didn’t just win his first PGA Tour event on Sunday. He dominated in a fashion never seen at TPC Deere Run.

Kim’s prizes? A little more than a million bucks, a two-year exemption on tour and a trip to the British Open.

Kim shot a final-round 66 on Sunday to win the John Deere Classic by a record-setting eight strokes. Kim, who turned 25 on Saturday, finished at 27-under 257 to break Steve Stricker’s tournament record from 2010 by one shot.

Kim also qualified for this week’s British Open at Carnoustie – an unexpected bonus for a player who had missed five of his last six cuts.

Kim also made 30 birdies for the week, a season high on tour in 2018.

“To be able to finish out in style like this, it means a lot,” said Kim, who nearly quadrupled his season earnings with a winner’s share of $1.044 million. “To be sitting here with a trophy, I’m at a loss for words.”

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Bronson Burgoon, Francesco Molinari, Joel Dahmen and Sam Ryder all finished at 19 under.

Kim took all the drama out of the final round with birdies on his first three holes and secured the largest margin of victory during the tournament’s stay at the course, which began in 2000.

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Vijay Singh birdied the second playoff hole to beat Jeff Maggert and win the Constellation Senior Players Championship in Highland Park, Illinois.

Singh knocked in a putt from about 2 feet after a nearly perfect approach on the 18th hole at Exmoor Country Club, giving him his first major title on the Champions tour to go with a victory at the Masters and two PGA Championships.

Singh (67) and Maggert (68) finished at 20-under 268. Brandt Jobe (66) was two strokes behind, while Jerry Kelly (64) and defending champion Scott McCarron (71) finished at 17 under.

LPGA: Thidapa Suwannapura got her first LPGA Tour victory, closing with a 6-under 65 and birdieing the first playoff hole to defeat Brittany Lincicome at the Marathon Classic in Sylvania, Ohio.

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The 25-year-old Thai player is the sixth first-time winner this year. Her previous best finish in 120 starts was seventh at the 2014 Kingsmill Championship.

Suwannapura eagled the par-5 17th and birdied the par-5 18th to finish at 14-under 270.

Laura Davies went virtually unchallenged in the final round of the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open in Wheaton, Illinois, claiming the title by 10 strokes over Juli Inkster.

Davies, 54, shot a 5-under 68 to finish at 16-under 276 at Chicago Golf Club in the USGA’s championship for women 50 and older.

EUROPEAN TOUR: Brandon Stone narrowly missed becoming the first player to shoot a 59 on the European Tour, settling for a 10-under 60 that secured a victory at the Scottish Open and a spot in the British Open.

Stone’s 8-foot birdie putt at No. 18 curled just left of the cup. He’s the 18th player to shoot a 60 on the European Tour, with Darren Clarke doing so twice.

Stone finished at 20 under, four shots better than Eddie Pepperell.


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