Tim Herron's nickname on the PGA Tour is "Lumpy" because he stands 5-feet-10 and doesn't look like he's missed a meal at 210 pounds.
But after Sunday's victory in the LaCantera Texas Open, the 27-year-old from Minneapolis may soon be known as "Rain Man."Last year, Herron who is gleefully disheveled, puffs on cigarettes between shots and is a ringer for actor Chris Farley, claimed his first tour victory as a rookie by winning the Honda Classic with a final-round 69 in a steady rain.
On Sunday, Herron again braved scattered showers and gusting conditions to pull away from a hard-charging field and win by two strokes with a final-round 69 for a 17-under 271 total.
"What can I say? I play well in the rain," Herron said, his hair a messy mop of wet blond curls while holding the Texas Open trophy.
Rick Fehr and Brent Geiberger finished at 273, while Duffy Waldorf was another stroke back.
With the television cameras rolling in the interview tent, fellow pro and friend Scott McCarron encouraged Herron to straighten his visor and brush off several grass blades that had collected on his white shirt.
Herron smiled and said, "No, that's part of my image. When you're Lumpy, that's part of the deal."
Herron, who won $252,000, pushed his earnings for the year to $630,191 and is now in the thick of the race to finish in the top 30 on the money list and qualify for the rich Tour Championship in Houston next month, a tournament where last place is worth $49,500.
Fehr's previous best finish this year was fourth at the Phoenix Open.
"I didn't get off to a very good start, bogeying the first hole," said Fehr, who opened the day at 13-under but negated five birdies with three bogeys. "You can't make mistakes like that when you're playing to win on Sunday."
Sr. PGA Comfort Classic
INDIANAPOLIS - David Graham moved into contention with an eagle on No. 15 then birdied the final hole Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Larry Nelson and Bud Allin in the Senior PGA Comfort Classic.
Graham shot a 7-under-par 65, including a 5-under 31 on the back nine, for a 54-hole total of 16-under 200 at the 6,675-yard Brickyard Crossing Golf Club course.
Nelson, playing in only his second event on the tour, shot a closing 67 and Allin, who led for most of the final round, had a 66, including a bogey on 18.
Graham's eagle came on a four-foot putt after a 6-iron second shot on the 537-yard par-5. That put him 15-under, one stroke behind Allin. Graham, who earned $157,500 from the $1.05 million purse for his third victory this year, parred the next two holes to remain one stroke behind.
Allin took the lead at No. 6 and held it until he bogeyed the 18th.
"I played really good today, but David played a little better. We worked hard out there and I'm happy with my effort," said Allin, whose problems on the final hole began with his only bad drive of the day.
"I just wanted to make sure I hit the shot solid and didn't want to go right," he said.
But, that's just where he put the ball and his second shot - a 5-iron - went into the rough. He then chipped past the green into the fringe and pitched within four feet.
"I almost hit a good second shot and hit a pretty good third. The third was a hit and hope," Allin said. "I had almost no chance and had to put it over that knob on the green."
Allin had nine birdies in his round.
"I just played my heart out one shot at a time," he said. "I just tried to make the best swing I could every time. I didn't pay attention to where anyone was."
LPGA Welch's
CANTON, Mass. - Liselotte Neumann birdied two of the first three holes Sunday and was never seriously challenged as she posted a three-shot victory over Nancy Harvey in the LPGA Welch's Championship.
The title was the first of the year for Neumann and her ninth on the LPGA tour. She and Harvey, who has won in eight-plus year on tour, began the final round tied for the lead at 10-under-par - four shots better than the rest of the field at the 6,137-yard Bluehill Country Club course.
Neumann started her final-round 2-under-par 70 with a 25-foot birdie putt on No. 1. She made a 14-footer for birdie on No. 3 as Harvey, who shot a 73, bogeyed the hole to open a three-shot lead.