Sigel Takes Kaanapali Classic

Jay Sigel, who had left the door slightly ajar for the rest of the field in the second round, slammed it shut Sunday with a closing 3-under-par 68 to win the Kaanapali Senior Classic.

Sigel, fourth on the Senior PGA Tour money list, posted a 12-under 201 total to become the tournament's first wire-to-wire winner, finishing two strokes in front of fast-closing Hugh Baiocchi and Larry Laoretti.

It also earned Sigel, who earlier this year won the Bell Atlantic Classic, $150,000.

The distance between Sigel and the runners-up could have been greater had he not made it an interesting finish by putting his tee shot at the par-3 17th into the water. But with a three-stroke lead, Sigel's double-bogey still held up as Terry Dill, who was second, bogeyed the hole.

Baiocchi closed with a 67 and Laoretti had a 69.

Dill dropped into fourth when his drive at the closing hole found water and he finished with a 70. Another stroke back at 205 were 1994 champion Bob Murphy and former local pro Steve Veriato, both of whom had a 69 Sunday.

Three-time Kaanapali champion Bob Charles made a brief closing run, but his 70 left him in a three-way tie at 206. Jim Colbert, another former champion, had a 70 and tied with five others at 207.

Hale Irwin, last year's champion and this year's leading money winner on tour, closed with a rush, but it was too late. His closing 65 was the day's lowest round and put him at 208.

Sigel appeared to be in control after the first round, shooting a course-record 10-under 61 for a three-stroke lead. But a 1-over 72 the next day, gave him only a one-stroke lead over Dill and Laoretti.

After two days of ideal playing conditions, a stiff breeze blew off the West Maui mountain and swept across the 6,590-yard Kaanapali North Course during the final round.

It didn't bother Sigel -- until his next-to-last hole adventure, but by then it was too late for his pursuers.

He held a two-stroke lead over Dill at the turn and increased it to four before Murphy and Baiocchi started inching back in on the back nine, but they never got closer than two shots.

The tournament is sponsored by EMC Corp. of Massachusetts, a provider of enterprise storage and retrieval technology.