Expert Picks: RBC Canadian Open

SAN ANTONIO — As Abraham Ancer answered questions from a Telemundo reporter, Ancer’s Answers, the fan club of the 28-year-old Texas native, waited patiently for the man of the hour.  “We’re here for you,” said one of the faithful when he finally approached. That much was quite clear from the light-blue T-shirts and navy-blue caps bearing his name and worn by approximately 15 friends, some of whom he said were members of TPC San Antonio. Ancer showed his appreciation with a simple expression of “Gracias!” before posing for selfies, a group shot and signing autographs. He did everything, but kiss babies. That’s because Jimmy Walker isn’t the only hometown hero at this week’s Valero Texas Open. Ancer has been a San Antonio resident for the past five years and lives mere miles from the course. He says he practices and plays at TPC San Antonio 70 percent of the time when he is home (his career-best is a 65 on the AT&T Oaks from the tips that he said was like shooting a 63) and he put that local knowledge to good use on Thursday. Related: Si Woo Kim opens with 6-under 66 | Fowler’s late equipment switch pays off | Spieth starts strong in San Antonio | Featured Groups, tee times | Insider: Former Valero champ Bowditch upbeat in return from back injury After an up-and-down start, Ancer came home in 31 to shoot 5-under 67 and trail first-round leader Si Woo Kim by one stroke. He ranked second in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and eighth in Strokes Gained: Putting. Ancer won the Australian Open by five strokes in November, but he’s still seeking his first PGA TOUR title. He’s also never played at Augusta National. Can he imagine killing two birds with one stone and doing it in front of friends and family in the city where he lives? “That would be amazing,” Ancer said. “But I’m going to keep my blinders on and keep going.”

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Mark Mulder scored 25 points to take a three-point lead over Mardy Fish in the American Century Championship on Saturday.

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SUN CITY, South Africa — Tommy Fleetwood saved his best for last with a final-round 67 to come from behind and retain his title at the Nedbank Golf Challenge on Sunday as he ended a three-year winless drought. The Englishman moved up from a tie for seventh overnight to finish 11 under par overall and win by a stroke from New Zealand’s Ryan Fox (68), who was hoping to go top of the season rankings with a victory in Sun City but just missed out after making a bogey on the last. Fleetwood won in Sun City in 2019 but was the defending champion after the 2020 and 2021 tournaments were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He kept his nerve when others around him faded on the final day, making four birdies on his opening nine and rebounding from a bogey on No. 12 with an incredible eagle on the par-5 No. 14 when he holed out from a bunker. He made pars the rest of the way home to become the first player since compatriot Lee Westwood in 2011 to win back-to-back titles at the Nedbank. Fox was the first-round leader after opening with a superb 64, raising his hopes that he could win in Sun City and overtake Rory McIlroy at the top of the European rankings ahead of the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai next week. He would have had a chance if not for the bogey five on No. 18 — his only bogey of the round — that allowed Fleetwood to win. Fox stays second in the season standings behind McIlroy, while Fleetwood is fourth heading to Dubai. McIlroy wasn’t playing at the Nedbank Challenge. Shubhankar Sharma (69) was third. Rasmus Hojgaard and Thomas Detry had shared the third-round lead but couldn’t hold on through a final day that was interrupted by rain. Hojgaard carded a 4-over 76 to finish tied for eighth while Detry’s final-round 77 saw him tumble to a share of 13th. European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was another man in with a chance at the halfway point but his search for a first European or PGA TOUR title in a decade came undone over the weekend as he shot 73 and 75 in his final two rounds to be one of those tied with Detry in 13th place.

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