Fleisher Takes Home Depot
Bruce Fleisher continued his astounding rookie season on the Senior Tour with an impressive finish today, using birdies at the last two holes to pull out a one-stroke victory at the $1.2 million Home Depot Invitational.
With his title as the Tour's best player being challenged by fellow rookie Allen Doyle, Fleisher cemented himself as the top senior star this year with his third victory in seven events. He also has a pair of runner-up finishes and a tie for third, putting him atop the money list with $827,550.
Fleisher fired a 3-under-par 68 today to earn a winner's check of $180,000 and finish at 11-under 205, one stroke better than Terry Dill and unknown Jim Holtgrieve. Doyle came in two shots back with DeWitt Weaver and Christy O'Connor Jr.
Amid a logjam, Fleisher rose to the top of the leaderboard and cap a wild finish. He landed a 9-iron 10 feet short of the pin with his tee shot on the par-3 17th hole, draining the putt to tie for the lead at 10-under. At the par-5 finishing hole, Fleisher knocked his third shot four feet past the flag and drained the putt for the win.
Seconds before the tournament-clinching putt, Dill came up one foot short of the cup with a chip shot that could have forced a playoff. He shot 70.
Fleisher made Senior Tour history with victories in his first two starts, winning the Royal Caribbean Classic and American Express Invitational in consecutive weeks in February.
Doyle, tied for the lead with Fleisher and Dill to start the day, saw his advantage grow to three shots after a birdie at No. 8. But he bogeyed the 10th while Fleisher birdied. The tournament was a nail-biter the rest of the way.
One week after winning the year's second major at the PGA Seniors' Championship, Doyle blew a chance at notching his third title of 1999 when he flew his tee shot at No. 17 into the water and settled for bogey. He carded a final-round 71.
Weaver went to the finishing hole at 10-under but unraveled, badly missing the fairway with his tee shot and shanking his second shot toward the hospitality tents. He still had a chance to make par, but missed a five-footer and ended up tied for fourth after turning in a 69.
O'Connor fired the round of the day with a 65, well before the final pairing went to the clubhouse.
Holtgrieve, a three-time member of the United States Walker Cup team, matched Weaver's 69.
The TPC at Piper Glen is a par-72 layout that measures 6,774 yards.