Westwood retains title in Sun City

SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) ― Lee Westwood finished with two bogeys and a 1-over 73 but it was still enough to retain his title by two strokes at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Sunday.

The No. 3-ranked Westwood ended with a 15-under 273 total to stay clear of Robert Karlsson in second, despite a final-round charge from the Swedish player that cut Westwood’s commanding seven-shot overnight lead in South Africa.

Westwood made just two birdies on the final day and dropped three strokes over the back nine, but his dominant performance on Saturday ― when he shot a course-record 62 ― set up victory and only the second back-to-back win at Sun City over the last decade.

A smiling Westwood threw his ball into the galleries on No. 18 after beating out Karlsson (68), who made seven birdies but dropped shots at Nos. 1, 8 and 16 at the Gary Player Country Club and ultimately couldn’t overcome Westwood’s hefty advantage.

“Today wasn’t going to be easy, going out with such a big lead,” Westwood said. “When you’ve got a big lead you’re never sure how to play. I tried to just break it down into fairways and greens. That wasn’t possible all the time but I didn’t make any silly mistakes out there.”

Hong Kong Open

Rory McIlroy rallied to win the Hong Kong Open, holing out from a greenside bunker on the final hole Sunday for a 5-under 65 and a two-stroke victory.

The 22-year-old U.S. Open winner from Northern Ireland, three strokes behind Alvaro Quiros entering the final round at Hong Kong Country Club, finished at 12-under 268 on the Fanling Course. He had five birdies in his bogey-free round.

LPGA Tour Q-school

Thailand’s Junthima Gulyanamitta won the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament on Sunday, closing with 4-under 68 in windy and rainy conditions on LPGA International’s Champions Course for a two-stroke victory over Christine Song.

The 23-year-old Gulyanamitta, a member of Purdue’s 2010 NCAA championship team, had a 10-under 350 total in the five-round event.

PGA Tour Q-school

Marco Dawson shot a 4-under 68 on Sunday on PGA West’s TPC Stadium Course to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

The 48-year-old Dawson had a 17-under 343 total.