Vegas powers to easy Canadian Open win

Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas started fast and finished strong Sunday to seize a one-shot victory in the US PGA Tour’s Canadian Open at Glen Abbey Golf Club near Toronto.  Vegas’s eight-under par 64 included plenty of fireworks, starting with five straight birdies from the second through the sixth holes. He capped his round with a burst of three straight birdies, carding nine overall with one bogey for a 12-under par total of 276.
“I knew I had to get off to a fast start,” said Vegas, who was five off the pace when play began. “I know that I was in striking distance, but I had to get myself close to the lead early so the guys kind of know I was there. So I just kept pushing and kept firing at pins and kept really going right after it. I got a really good momentum, and obviously I was able to close it out with some birdies.”
Dustin Johnson, a co-leader after each of the first two rounds who was tied for second heading into Sunday, shot a final-round 69 and finished in a three-way tie for second on 277. He was joined by Spain’s Jon Rahm, who closed with a bogey-free 67 that included a birdie on the final hole, and Scotland’s Martin Laird, who also signed for a 67.
Overnight leader Brandt Snedeker fired a one-under 71 that left him in a group on 278 alongside fellow Americans Ricky Barnes (68) and Steve Wheatcroft (69) and Germany’s Alex Cejka (69). Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy tied for the best round of the tournament, a 63, to surge from 44th place to a tie for ninth on 279. The group also included Canadian amateur Jared du Toit, who carded a 71.
World number one and defending champion Jason Day of Australia closed with a 67 to finish tied for 14th on 281. Vegas, 29, earned his second PGA Tour win more than five years after capturing his first at the 2011 Bob Hope Classic. Sunday’s victory gives him a two-year Tour exemption as well as berths in the PGA Championship next week at Baltusrol Golf Club in New Jersey and in next year’s Masters at Augusta National.