Shortly after scoring his first career victory in the Texas Open, poker-faced Bob Estes took time out to apologize for not being friendlier.
He included "family, friends, marshals, the gallery and camera crews" at Oak Hills Country Club."When I stop to smile and talk to people, I don't concentrate as well as I should," he said Sunday following his wire-to-wire, one-stroke victory. "I was taking care of business. I'll work on my image a little later."
If his image needs work, his game certainly doesn't. Estes led all the way, taking charge with a first-round 62, then posting a season-best 127 for two rounds and 195 for three. He came into the final round with a four-shot lead.
Estes needed all of it to beat veterans Gil Morgan and Don Pooley, acquiring the first title of a seven-season career with a closing 70 and a 265 total, 19 under par.
"It was tough, sleeping on the lead every night, especially when you haven't won before," Estes said. "But now that it's over, I couldn't pick a better way to win my first tournament than leading every round."
In doing so, he joined Mike Springer and Greg Norman as the only wire-to-wire winners this year.
He also collected $180,000 from the total purse of $1 million, pushed his season's earnings to $700,560 and became eligible for such exclusive 1995 events as the Masters, the Tournament of Champions and the World Series of Golf.
But it wasn't easy. Pooley and Morgan each closed to within a single shot at one time or another over the last 18 holes.
Each time, Estes was equal to the challenge. When Pooley got close, Estes promptly birdied two in a row.
When Morgan got close, he responded with what he called "the shot of the tournament," a 3-wood second shot, 257 yards and over an oak, to set up a decisive, 2-putt birdie-4 on the par-5 15th.
That gave him a two-shot lead with three holes to go, and, poker-faced all the way, he brought it home.
Morgan eventually took second at 266 after a bogey-free finishing round of 67 and a 266 total.
"A hair short," Morgan said. "It seemed like every time I got close, he'd make birdie and put it (the lead) back to two."
Pooley, on the mend from back surgery that threatened his career, was another shot back at 68-267.
"A lot of fun, particularly figuring three weeks ago I didn't know if I'd ever be competitive again," said Pooley who has played only five times since surgery a year ago.
"This is better than I could have ever expected. It's a great surprise to me," he said.
No one else really got in title contention over the last 18 holes.
Bruce Lietzke was fourth alone at 69-270 and was followed by Craig Stadler, John Wilson and Mark McNulty. Stadler shot 68 in the muggy heat, Wilson 70 and McNulty 69.
In Virginia Water, England, U.S. Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa beat Colin Montgomerie of Scotland 4 and 2 in the 36-hole final of the World Match Play Championship on Sunday.
Els earned $240,000, the largest winning share in European history. Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain beat Vijay Singh of Fiji 2 and 1 in the third-place match on Wentworth's West Course.
In Naples, Fla., Beth Daniel shot a course-record 7-under-par 65 for a three-stroke victory over Elaine Crosby in the World Championship of Women's Golf on Sunday.
Daniel, who earned $105,000 for her fourth victory of the season, had a 14-under 274 total on the Naples National course. Crosby, who set the course record with a 65 on Friday, shot a 72. Laura Davies finished five back at 279 after a 71.
In Rancho Murieta, Calif., Bob Murphy bogeyed the fifth hole of a playoff with Dave Eichelberger to win the Raley's Senior Gold Rush on Sunday.
Murphy, who earned $97,500, shot a 4-under-par 68 and Eichelberger had a 71 for 8-under 208 totals on the Rancho Murieta's North Course. Both parred the 429-yard 18th hole four times before Murphy's winning bogey.
J.C. Snead, who set a course record with a 63, finished two back along with Jim Albus .
In Cornelius, Ore., Mike Schuchart shot a 2-over-par 73 for a one-stroke victory in the season-ending Nike Tour Championship on Sunday.
Schuchart, who earned $40,500, had a 7-under 277 total on the Pumpkin Ridge course. Jeff Cook , Emlyn Aubrey and Lee Rinker tied for second.
Chris Perry led 10 qualifiers for the 1995 PGA Tour, taking the money title with $167,148.