The PGA Tour’s wraparound 2021-2022 season closed its circle on Sunday in Atlanta. The USGA visited Dayton, Ohio, for the Senior Women’s Open. Korn Ferry played its penultimate event in nearby Columbus. Across the globe, the LPGA met in Ottawa; the DP World Tour awakened in Switzerland, and the Tour Champions marveled at Michigan. Another day in many offices, and a weekend worth revisiting.

For me, school teaching and high school golf coaching begin on Monday, so this feels like both an end and a beginning as well. It’s Tour Rundown time, with six compelling events that merit a glance. Time to shine!

USGA: Jill McGill wins third different USGA championship at NCR

The “NCR” in NCR Country Club stands for National Cash Register. The tee markers at the club’s two courses are keepsakes: old-school metal button registers that you find in antique shops and Monopoly games. The USGA has excelled in bringing its senior championships to golf courses and clubs that operate out of the public eye most days. NCR has two wondrous courses, and the South had the opportunity to host the Women’s Senior Open in 2022. For most of the week, pundits pondered great names like Davies, Alfredsson, and Sorenstam. On Sunday, a different story played out.

Jill McGill, in another life, won two separate USGA events. She won the the USGA Amateur in 1993, and the defunct National Public Links the following year. She also competed for the US side in the 1994 Curtis Cup. In 2022, McGill added a third, separate trophy to her USGA case, at NCR. On a Sunday when scores soared into the mid and high 70s, the golfer who kept her head and ground out pars would ultimately win. As the heralded leaders, all former champions of this event, lost ground, McGill persevered.

Both McGill and Laura Davies reached minus-five at different points on the day. Davies appeared to be moving effortlessly along, until an unthinkable quadruple bogey at the 12th derailed her locomotive. The English champion came home in 42, and finished in a tie for fifth with Juli Inkster and Annika Sorenstam. McGill reached the five-under figure on the 16th green, and might have realized at that moment what was within reach. She kept her game together and, despite closing with two bogeys, had enough strokes in hand to edge Leta Lindley (birdie at the last) by one.

.@jillymcgilly is the first American to win the #USSeniorWomensOpen!

Her final-round, come-from-behind victory is the @Lexus Top Performance of the Day. #LexusGolf pic.twitter.com/D0YNsxlF4R

— USGA (@USGA) August 28, 2022

PGA Tour: McIlroy wins Tour Championship for 3rd time

In what has been a mentally and emotionally-exhausting year, Rory McIlroy fittingly surged on day four to win his second PGA Tour event of the year, and 22nd of his career. In the tour’s only, staggered start, players begin the week with strokes in hand, based on their season-long standing in the FedEx Cup. Scottie Scheffler, the Masters champion, was the lead pony at week’s start. For most of the week, Scheffler was able to preserve his advantage. Sunday brought a dearth of birdies for the Texan, and he would ultimately tie for second, with Sungjae Im.

Sensing an opportunity, McIlroy a six-birdie round over the par-70 East Lake Golf Club. His round was marred by bogey at the first and the 14th, but no matter. Chaser Sungjae Im made double at the 14th, and despite a pair of closing birdies, could only reach -20 and tie Scheffler for the silver medal. McIlroy bounced back from bogey at 14 with birdie at 15, then parred his way home for -21 and a pair of titles: the week’s trophy and the season-long, FedEx Cup championship.

“COME ON!!!”@McIlroyRory is FIRED up @PlayoffFinale ? https://t.co/apyulWdKUi pic.twitter.com/PDYDQCxqUN

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 28, 2022

DP World Tour title to Lawrence of South Africa in playoff

Thriston Lawrence has made noise this season on the DP World Tour. In November of 2021, Lawrence won the Joburg Open for his first DPWT title. On Sunday in the Swiss Alps, Lawrence broke through the glass wall for a second victory, this time in a playoff. Opposing him in extra time was England’s Matt Wallace. How did each reach the overtime? Have a look.

Lawrence held the lead at day’s dawn, and four birdies should have been enough to secure a title in regulation. Stumbles at the fifth (double bogey) and sixteenth (bogey) undid most of his good work, and Lawrence closed with one-under 69 on the day. Over the same course of time, Wallace picked off four birdies of his own, with nary a bogey. He came from three shots back on the day, and finally caught Lawrence with a birdie at the 14th. The two would par in and reach the 72nd hole at 18-under par.

Upon their return to the 18th tee to settle matters, Wallace got into trouble and made bogey. Lawrence carved out a par, and the deed was done. With the victory came a move into the OWGR world top 100 rankings, and the title King of the Mountains for the South African champion.

Amazing touch by @ThristonL ?

He retains a one-shot lead with nine holes to play.#OEM2022 pic.twitter.com/ak9G6EfEFi

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) August 28, 2022

LPGA: Reto wins Canadian Women’s Open by one

Imagine ticking these boxes for your first LPGA win: a national championship; hold off major champions down the stretch; post 67 on the final day. All those circles were filled by South Africa’s Paula Reto, who joined countrymate Thriston Lawrence (see above) as a winner on the week. Reto began the week with 62 at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, in the Canadian capital. She lost the lead to Narin An after 36 holes. An held the 54-hole lead, but posted 72 on Sunday, and watched a number of players surge past her, into contention.

Among them were Lydia Ko, who had 63 on Sunday for solo fourth position. Hye-Jin Choi had 69 of her own, and tied Korda for second spot. Korda, not quite recovered from her bout with illness earlier this season, closed with 67 of her own, that featured all sorts of ingredients. Try one eagle, five birdies, three bogeys, and nine pars on the day for the Floridian. Like Choi, Korda would come up one putt shy of the top spot.

Reto went out like a champion, posting 31 over her first nine holes. The back was a one-over struggle, but it was enought to secure an inaugural title for the Purdue alumna. After 157 starts on the LPGA Tour, Reto is, at last, a victor.

A Sunday 67 to win ?

Watch @paularetoSA's final round highlights from the 2022 @cpwomensopen! ? pic.twitter.com/LkcxYF4kdq

— LPGA (@LPGA) August 28, 2022

Korn Ferry Tour: Lingmerth headed back to PGA Tour after win in Ohio

Such is the level of importance this week, that the penultimate event in the Korn Ferry Tour playoff run comes fifth on the list. The Scarlet course at Ohio State University is an annual homecoming for many, former collegiate players. Most in the field arrive with one goal in mind: secure passage to the PGA Tour for the upcoming season. This week in Columbus, six golfers gained PGA Tour status for 2022-2023, but we’ll get to that in a bit.

David Lingmerth, one of Sweden’s top golfers, signed for 62 on Sunday, just like Paula Reto (see above) in Ottawa. His 66 on Friday gave him a 128 for 36 holes, and had competitors wondering if Lingmerth had played the Scarlet or the Gray course at OSU’s golf complex. No matter, as 71 in round three gave the field hope, and Lingmerth, a reason to lock in his focus. Closing fast were Paul Haley II (65 on Saturday) and Zecheng Dou (67 in round three.)

On Sunday, Lingmerth played perfect golf over the first 16 holes. Three birdies had kept the field at bay, but a 17th-hole bogey gave hope to the chasers. With his lead down to one, Lingmerth closed like a champion, making birdie to secure not only a win, but a return to the PGA Tour in 2022-2023. Joining him will be countryman Henrik Norlander, Dean Burmester, Joseph Bramlett, Austin Cook, and Michael Gligic.

The winning moment?@DLingmerth is the 2022 Nationwide Children's Hospital Champion. pic.twitter.com/33GkfpxS8c

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) August 28, 2022

PGA Tour Champions: Stricker wins second of season in Grand Blanc

2022 had been somewhat quiet for Steve Stricker. He didn’t find himself in charge of a national team, and his only win came back in May. True, it was a major (Regions Tradition) but other titles found their way into the hands of his competitors.

This week, in the state across the lake (Stricker is from Wisconsin) Stricker put a putting tip from Jerry Kelly to good use. After opening with 70, Stricker turned to fellow Badger Kelly for a bit of flat-stick assistance. Rounds of 64 and 67 followed, and Stricker moved to 15 under at the Ally Challenge. Out of nowhere came Rhode Island’s Brett Quigley. Since 2020, Quigley has chased a second Champions victory; he won in Morocco that year. On Sunday, he simply ran out of holes.

Quigley had two birdies and two bogeys saw each other off through fifteen holes. Sixteen brought him an eagle three, and birdies at 17 and 18 moved him agonizingly close to a playoff with Stricker. Quigley finished at minus-fourteen, good for solo second. Knowing that the chase was afoot, Stricker posted consecutive birdies from 13 through 16, and walked pars in at the final two holes, for victory.

On a heater ?@stevestricker has birdied his last four holes and now leads by 2. pic.twitter.com/spbMYJnKOw

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) August 28, 2022