Indian American Akshay Bhatia one round away from Augusta berth, seeks second PGA Tour
Bhatia was at 15-under 201. After McCarthy, the next closest player to the lead was Brendon Todd, who shot 70 and was seven shots behind.
Aditi Ashok completed yet another impressive finish with a final round of three-under 69 to be tied 28th at the inaugural Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic.
The 19-year-old Indian rookie ended at 11-under 277, her third straight finish between 25th and 30th places. Aditi played out rounds of 70-68-70-69.
She has now made eight cuts in 10 starts, including two Majors, and is all set for the US Open next.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, after a 2-under-par 70, Australian Katherine Kirk put the finishing touches on her third LPGA Tour victory.
Kirk birdied the 72nd hole to finish at 22-under par, the lowest four-round tournament total in her career.
Kirk had an up-and-down Sunday with four bogeys offset by six birdies, and was able to hold off all challengers including Sei Young Kim and Pornanong Phatlum, who shot rounds of 9-under and 10-under respectively.
Kirk's last LPGA Tour victory came in 2010, and to finally notch her third win proved that many years of hard work has finally paid off.
South Africa's Ashleigh Buhai finished runner-up — her best finish ever on the LPGA Tour after a 5-under-par 67 and said she was comfortable in the final pairing of the day.
Buhai and Kirk had played together many times, but still, Kirk's 22-under par total proved to be just one shot too many for Buhai to overcome.
Phatlum, a three-winner of Women's Hero Indian Open, notched her career-best finish on the LPGA Tour, and did it in record-setting fashion. Her 10-under-par 62, which she dubbed 'fantastic', was the best score she's ever notched as a professional.
Next week the LPGA Tour heads to New Jersey for the US Women's Open, where Brittany Lang defends.
Advertisement
