Duffy Wins Texas Open

September 23, 1999 / 10:37 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Something about the Texas Open agrees with Duffy Waldorf.

It could be the hilly La Cantera Golf Club that reminds him of the course he grew up playing near Los Angeles. Maybe it's the spicy Mexican food he likes to eat while in San Antonio.

Whatever the ingredients, it's a recipe for victory.

Waldorf won the Texas Open for a second time after making a long birdie putt to beat Ted Tryba on the first hole of a playoff Sunday.

Waldorf leaped high into the air and ran jubilantly across the green after making the 45-foot putt from the fringe on the par-4 18th hole.

"From the hinterlands," Waldorf said. "I was just hoping to get the right speed on it and lag it in there."

Tryba had gone into a bunker with his second shot then hit it out to about 15 feet. He could only watch as Waldorf made the birdie.

"I'm sure that's probably a putt he'll remember for the rest of his life," Tryba said. "That's what exciting tournaments are made of."

With the victory, Waldorf received $360,000 and moved from 49th to 27th on the money list. Tryba won $216,000 and moved from 21st to 14th.

Waldorf also the Texas Open in 1995, the first year the tournament was held at La Cantera. He won the Buick Classic in June and with Sunday's victory became the fifth player to win more than one PGA Tournament this season.

Both victories occurred in similar ways, Waldorf said.

"I just kind of hung around, hung around, got in there at the end," Waldorf said. "I hadn't really thought about winning either one, then all of a sudden I've got two."

Tryba, who won the FedEx St. Jude Classic in June, said he had no qualms about finishing second behind Waldorf.

"He's a super guy," Tryba said. "I played solid all day. I didn't feel I had my best stuff, but I played solid."

Both Tryba and Waldorf started the day at 14 under, tied in second place two strokes behind Stephen Ames, who had held a slim lead each of the previous three days. Ames' final round turned sour early, while Tryba and Waldorf went at it down to the wire.

Tryba was one stroke ahead of Waldorf, at 19 under, after making a birdie on the par-4 16th. But Tryba bogeyed No. 17 to drop back into a tie with Waldorf.

Both players parred the final hole to cap 4-under 68s that left them at 18-under 270.

Brent Geiberger shot a 67 to finish one stroke behind, while Rich Beem had a 69 and was at 16 under.

Ja Haas improved seven strokes Sunday, shooting a 65 and moving from 8 under to 15-under 273, tied with Brian Henninger and Mike Reid.

Ames held a two-stroke lead entering the final round and was looking to capture his first PGA Tour title.

He had two bogeys and two birdies on the front nine, but had three bogeys after the turn and shot a 75, finishing at 13-under 275, tied with Jeff Brehaut.

Waldorf, who played with Ames in the final pairing, said he felt for Ames, who was looking for his first PGA Tour victory.

"He just got into a little more trouble than he probably had been," Waldorf said. "Still, I think he played really well but he just didn't get the score."

Sandy Lyle, the 1985 British Open winner and 1988 Masters champion, was poised for a possible comeback after difficulties during the 1990s. Lyle remained near the front of the pack much of the tournament, but shot a 71 on Sunday and finished 10 under.

The tournament was sponsored by Westin.