Durant Nails First PGA Victory
Joe Durant, who had a great start in last week's U.S.
Open, birdied three of the last five holes Sunday to pull away from Vijay Singh and win the Western Open for his first victory on the PGA Tour.
|
Durant had a 6-under-par 66 to finish with a 17-under 271 total, two strokes ahead of Singh, the third-round leader. Singh was up and down throughout a final-round 72, his first round over 70 in the tournament at Cog Hill's Dubsdread course.
U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen couldn't duplicate his magic of last weekend, shooting a 71 and finishing in a tie for third at 277 with Dudley Hart, who tied the course record with a 9-under 63.
Greg Kraft, this year's first-round leader who finished second in the 1994 Western Open, fell apart on the final day of the $2.2 million, Motorola-sponsored event. He shot a 3-over 75 to finish at 10-under 278. Steve Stricker, the 1996 Western Open champion, also was at 278 after shooting a 71 Sunday.
Tiger Woods had another strong round, shooting a 69 to finish at 7-under 281. But the defending champion was never in contention after his dismal first round, when he shot a 4-over 76 and was in danger of missing the cut.
Dickson gets first victory in 25 years
Bob Dickson avoided a nearly disastrous mistake on the
17th hole and then rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win his first Senior PGA tournament, the Cadillac NFL Golf Classic, on Sunday.
Dickson's first PGA win since capturing the Andy Williams-San Diego Open in 1973 wasn't assured until Larry Nelson missed a 5-foot birdie putt just seconds later to end the three-way playoff.
Jim Colbert, who was looking for his first win since surgery for prostate cancer in June, 1997, had missed a downhill 25-foot putt on the par-5, 590 yard No. 18 at the Uper Montclair Country Club seconds before Dickson converted.
Sorenstam shoots 65 to win ShopRite
Annika Sorenstam was again nearly perfect, making
birdies on the final four holes for a 65 Sunday to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic by four strokes over Juli Inkster.
Sorenstam, who finished at 17-under-par 196, made only one bogey in 54 holes on the Bay Course at the Seaview Marriott Resort.
She goes into the U.S. Open this week with victories in two consecutive starts and top-10 finishes in 10 of 11 tournaments this year.
Torrance captures French Open
Sam Torrance, a last-minute entrant in this
tournament, birdied the final two holes Sunday to capture the $800,000 French Open for his first victory in three years.
The 44-year-old Scotsman broke a logjam on the leader board with his strong finish, closing with a 2-under-par 70 for a total of 12-under 276. It was his 21st title in a 28-year career.
His $133,000 victory check was his first since his British Masters win three years ago. He is 14th on the European money list and is almost certain to gain an exemption into this summer's British Open.
Noro prevails at Japan Women's Open
Natsuko Noro, with her husband carrying her bag
and providing advice, won the Japan Women's Open Golf Championship by two strokes Sunday - and then couldn't find him.
"I could win because my husband gave me advice as a caddy. I wanted to embrace him (on the green) for the victory, but I couldn't find him after holing out," said Noro, who finished at 2-under-par 286 after an ever-par 72 final round.
Her husband, a 32-year-old salaried worker, is not her regular caddy, but served in that role throughout this four-day event, one of the three major tournaments on the Japanese women's tour.
Noro received 14 million yen (dlrs 99,000) from a purse of 70 million yen (dlrs 496,000) for her first victory this season and second in her eight-year career.
© 1998 SportsLine USA, Inc. All rights reserved