After more than 20 professional victories around the world over the last 25 years, John Bland has quickly added the United States to his list of global successes.
The South African birdied the final two holes to beat Jim Colbert by a stroke Sunday at the $700,000 Transamerica Seniors for his his fourth victory on 1996. It came on the one-year anniversary of his first PGA Seniors appearance in the U.S."It's been a wonderful, wonderful year," said Bland, who earned $105,000, pushed his season earnings to $1,195,837 and claimed his fifth career Senior PGA event. "Jim and I have battled back and fourth. He's a fierce competitor. For a couple seconds, you can really get to hate that man."
Bland, who began the day three strokes behind co-leaders Lee Trevino and Bobby Stroble, fashioned a 66 out of four birdies and an eagle 66 to finish 12 under par at 204.
Jim Colbert, who also has four wins this season, made a hole-in-one on the par-3 15th at Silverado Country Club. His closing 66 made him a runner-up to Bland for the third time this year.
"I was driving well," said Bland, who earned $105,000, pushed his season earnings to $1,195,837 and claimed his fifth career Senior PGA event.
Stroble held a two-stroke over Bland and Colbert after 15 holes. But after switching from an iron to a 3-wood, Stroble hit his tee sheet into the back yard of a house adjacent to the course. After a second tee shot, Stroble hit his approach long and chipped short en route to a triple-bogey 7.
Stroble, a non-winner in his 30-year PGA and Senior PGA career, finished with a birdie for a 71 and 206 total that left him in third place.