Lee Janzen was rather pleased with career victory No. 6, particularly because it sets him up to claim lucky No. 7 this week.
If momentum means anything, Janzen should be considered one of the favorites when the U.S. Open begins Thursday at Shinnecock Hills in New York.Janzen had Sunday's only bogey-free round, then made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Corey Pavin and win the Kemper Open, his second victory of the year - he also won the Players Championship - and sixth of his career.
About the possibility of making the U.S. Open No. 7 . . .
"I played there a few years ago. I remember it being very tough," said Janzen, who had a final-round 4-under-par 67 for a 12-under 272 total. "But I feel good about my game. My putting is as good as it's been all year. I feel confident about my ability."
Janzen has every reason to feel that way, considering he had only one bogey over the final 54 holes. The $252,000 first-place check made him the leading money winner on tour this year.
"He played great," Pavin conceded. "I'd much rather have someone beat me than for me to beat myself."
Pavin didn't exactly play flawless golf - he bogeyed the playoff hole - but he wasn't alone.
Davis Love III missed getting into the playoff with a bogey on 17 and double-bogey on 18. That occurred shortly after Robin Freeman took himself out of contention by bogeying the same two holes.
Before that, Greg Norman fell off the leaderboard with a double-bogey on 17. Payne Stewart got the ball rolling on the first hole, opening with a double-bogey after coming into the round one shot back.
"I had no idea how the others were doing - I wasn't concerned about them," Janzen said.
He got a first-hand look at Freeman's collapse. Freeman, paired with Janzen in the final round, took the lead with a birdie on 16 but bogeyed the next two holes.
"It was his tournament to win, but he made those mistakes," Janzen said.
Janzen got into the playoff with a birdie on 18, his fourth birdie in as many rounds this week. He made it 5-for-5 in the playoff after hitting his approach within 12 feet.
Pavin sent his second shot into the bunker, then blasted out within 15 feet and missed the par putt. Janzen then made his putt.
Freeman was third with a 273 and Love and Norman finished in a five-way tie for fourth at 275.
Pavin shot 68 and forced a playoff with a par on 18. He hit his tee shot into a bunker, then blasted out into the left rough. From there, he pushed his third shot within 10 feet and made the putt.
Freeman, vying for his first victory in five years on the tour, took the lead at 13 under with a 12-foot birdie putt on 16. But the lead quickly disappeared after he hit the back bunker on 17 and came up short of the green with his approach on 18.
"I let the tournament get away," he said. "I played a little sporadic all day."