RIDGELAND, S.C. • Garrick Higgo’s day began with a call from South African golfing great Gary Player. It ended in triumph just like so many of Player’s Sundays did in his Hall of Fame career.

The 22-year-old Higgo won the Palmetto Championship at Congaree for his first career victory on the PGA Tour, taking the tournament after leader Chesson Hadley squandered a twoshot lead with bogeys on his final three holes.

The 85-year-old Player told his rising, young countryman not to worry about trailing leader Chesson Hadley by six shots starting the final round.

“He’d told me he’s done it before, won quite a few times from six behind, seven behind,” Higgo recalled. “Just try and do your thing and stay up there. You don’t know what can happen.”

Player was right as Higgo remained patient and steady throughout — and made sure to take advantage when opportunities arose.

The left-hander did that with a closing 3-under 68 — his fourth round in the 60s this week — charged by an eagle on the par-5 12th hole and a birdie on the 14th to reach 11-under, the winning score.

Higgo kept himself in position on the challenging 17th hole, rolling in a 10foot par save after not hitting the fairway on his first two shots.

Higgo sensed the moment was his if he could sink the putt. “I had a good feeling on that,” he said with smile.

He also benefitted from a late collapse by Hadley, who held the lead after the second and third rounds. Hadley, seeking his first tour win since 2014, was still ahead by two shots starting the 16th hole. But a wayward tee shot led to a bogey there and he failed to get up and down on the 71st and 72nd holes to give away the win.

Hadley finished with a 75 after rounds of 65-66-68.

“I can only imagine what it looked like on TV because it looked freaking awful from my view,” he said. “I just didn’t have it today. It was bad and (I’ve) got to do better and I will.”

Player later posted his congratulations to Higgo on social media. Player called it “one of the most enjoyable things for me to witness in my career. He is without a doubt the most humble, well mannered young man that you could wish to meet. Watch this space, big things to come!”

Higgo had won twice on the European Tour in the Canary Islands before playing in the PGA Championships on Kiawah Island, where he tied for 64th. He’ll head West to Torrey Pines for the U.S. Open next week.

After that, Higgo thinks he’ll likely fulfill his dream of playing regularly on the PGA Tour. His win makes him exempt through the 2023 season. He also earned $1.314 million for the career-altering victory.

“So at the moment, I’ll focus on that, see if I can keep going,” he said.

Hadley fell into a tie for second at 10 under with Hudson Swafford (66), Doc Redman (67), Jhonattan Vegas (67), Tyrrell Hatton (68) and Bo Van Pelt (68).

When Higgo tapped in for par on the 18th, he headed off to wait for a potential playoff. Turns out, he didn’t need the extra reps as Hadley missed a 10-footer for par to fall to give the rising young player his first signature win.

Higgo took off his sunglasses and grinned when told of his victory, then hugged his caddie to celebrate.

To-ranked Dustin Johnson made a run at the top late in the round, coming within a shot of Hadley after birdies on the 10th, 12th and 13th holes. His chances ended with a triple bogey on the 16th hole and he finished with a 70 to tie for 10th.

Van Pelt made birdie on the 15th to get to 12 under, then gave it right back with a bogey on No. 16.

Swafford came close to playing next week at the U.S. Open. A win at Congaree Golf Club would’ve meant a cross-country flight to Torrey Pines. He, too, came close and was within two shots of the lead before finishing tied for fourth.

Matilda Castren becomes first Finnish winner in LPGA Tour history

DALY CITY, CALIF. • Matilda Castren became the first Finnish winner in LPGA Tour history Sunday in the LPGA MEDIHEAL Championship, pulling away on the front-nine at foggy Lake Merced and holding off Min Lee by two strokes.

“Oh, my God. I can’t believe it’s happening,” Castren said. “I mean, I knew one day it would be me, but you didn’t think it was going to be so soon. But I’m obviously so happy right now.”

Two strokes behind Lee entering the final day of the tour’s two-week run on the San Francisco Peninsula, Castren birdied the first three holes, eagled the par-5 fifth and birdied the par-5 ninth for a front-nine 30.

Castern followed with eight straight pars and holed a 3-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a 7-under 65. The 26-year-old former Florida State won in her 15th career LPGA Tour start. She finished at 14-under 274 after tying for 30th last week in the U.S. Women’s Open at nearby Olympic Club.

“I just played shot by shot, hole by hole, and just tried to stay really patient,” Castren said. “I was thinking about it the whole day, like winning, and I just tried to focus on one shot at a time. It just happened.”

Lee finished with a 69. She cut Castren’s lead to one with a birdie on the par-5 15th, but dropped a stroke with a two-putt bogey on the par-3 17th.

“I think I’m playing good today,” Lee said. “Obviously, she played much better on the front, so I’m not going to punish myself because it was a great week.”

Jerry Kelly successfully defends hometown Champions title

MADISON, WIS. • Jerry Kelly successfully defended his title in his hometown American Insurance Championship, closing with a 6-under 66 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Fred Couples and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

The 54-year-old Kelly finished at 14-under 202 at University Ridge for his eighth PGA Tour Champions victory.

Couples bogeyed the par-5 18th for a 68. The 61-year-old Couples won the 2017 tournament for the last of his 13 senior titles.

Jimenez, the leader after each of the first two rounds, shot a 69.

Jim Furyk (68) and Retief Goosen (68) tied for fourth at 12 under.

Caldwell wins European mixed golf event in Sweden

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN • Two men and one woman finished in the top three of the inaugural Scandinavian Mixed golf tournament on Sunday with Jonathan Caldwell winning by one stroke for his first European Tour title.

The event was a first on the European Tour. It started with 78 men and 78 women competing on the same course for one trophy and one prize money pool.

It was hosted by Annika Sorenstam and Henrik Stenson.

Caldwell shot a final-round 8-under 64, including eight birdies, two bogeys and an eagle on the par-4 14th. The Northern Irishman finished 17 under overall, ahead of second-place Adrian Otaegui (67).