Stuart Appleby said he was a good wind player and proved it Sunday, staying upright for a 72 to win the Kemper Open by one stroke over Scott Hoch on a day when all other challengers were blown off the leaderboard.
Appleby finished at 10-under-par 274 on a blustery TPC at Avenel, with Hoch at 275 and five players at 278, including Fred Funk, who led after each of the first three rounds."It was so windy and firm and fast out there today," Appleby said. "I knew the back nine was going to be tough and that there would be a lot of wedges to 30 or 40 feet and two putts for par. I just stayed patient."
The 27-year-old Australian stepped to the 17th tee at 10-under with Hoch in the clubhouse at 9-under after he made a 4-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 70.
With the wind whipping at his pants, Appleby played a bold shot on the water-guarded 195-yard par-3 to within 5 feet, but missed the putt that would have all but wrapped up the tournament.
Playing the final hole knowing he needed par for his second PGA Tour victory, Appleby rose to the occasion as he had all day, despite a light rain that started as he walked off the tee.
A solid long iron from 214 yards put Appleby safely on the green, and all he needed to do was two-putt from 15 feet to win.
"That iron on the last hole was the day," he said.
No one's fortune was tossed about more mightily than Funk, who shot a 77 to finish at 278 along with Mark O'Meara, Brad Fabel, Clark Dennis and Tommy Tolles.
Funk, a local favorite who grew up in Maryland, lost all hope early when made bogeys on the first and third holes and then had a triple bogey on No. 4, driving into the water.
Nationwide Senior PGA
ALPHARETTA, Ga. - John Jacobs picked up his first PGA victory on Sunday, shooting a 5-under-par 67 to beat the senior tour's two most dominating players in the Nationwide Championship.
The cigar-smoking Jacobs, who had never won on either the senior or regular tours, finished with a 10-under 206 total, edging Hale Irwin by one stroke and finishing two shots ahead of Gil Morgan and Leonard Thompson.
Irwin and Morgan have ruled the senior circuit this year, each winning three events.
Irwin came to the Golf Club of Georgia as the top money winner with $1,051,850, having finished in the top five in all eights tournaments he's played, while Morgan had $853,818 in earnings and seven top-10 finishes.
But Jacobs spoiled the expected Morgan-Irwin showdown, moving into the lead for good with a birdie at No. 17 and using his power off the tee to secure the victory at 18.
"It's pretty special to beat Gil Morgan and Hale Irwin when they're playing well," said Jacobs, who picked up the largest check of his career, $202,500. "But it bothers me when people say they're dominating the tour. They're not that much better than a lot of other guys out here."
Morgan began the final round tied for the lead with Bob Eastwood at eight under and remained on top with birdies at 10 and 12. But he fell apart down the stretch, bogeying three of the last five holes.
LPGA Michelob Light
ST. LOUIS - Annika Sorenstam won the LPGA Michelob Light Classic for the third time in four years on Sunday, forcing a playoff with a final-hole birdie and then beating Donna Andrews on the second extra hole.
The victory, worth $90,000, was her first of the year and 13th of her career. Sorenstam won six tournaments last year when she was named LPGA player of the year.
This was Sorenstam's first close call in a tournament she has dominated. She won by three strokes last year and by 10 in 1996.
Trailing by one stroke on the final hole in regulation, Sorenstam came up with her best shot of the day. An approach from about 90 yards left her less than a foot from the cup and she tapped in for birdie to force the playoff.
Andrews had opened the door on No. 18 when she clipped a tree with her second shot. She left her third shot short of the green, but then chipped to about 5 feet and made the putt for par.
Both playoff holes were on No. 18 due to TV considerations and each player parred the first extra hole.
The second time around, Andrews left a downhill birdie attempt from about 15 feet a bit short and to the left. Sorenstam then drilled a 4-footer for the victory.