Sandy Lyle has top 10 finish
COCHRAN WINS SENIOR PLAY-OFF IN S KOREA
FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
INCHEON, South Korea (AP) — Russ Cochran won the Songdo Championship todayfor his first US Champions (Seniors) Tour victory after making a birdie on the opening hole of a playoff with Fred Funk in the 50-and-over circuit's first event in Asia.
The 51-year-old left-hander finished at 12-under 204 on the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea to earn $456,000. He won the 1991 Western Open for his lone US PGA Tour title.
Cochran, who shot a final-round 66 to force the play-off, tapped in for the win after splashing a shot from the bunker to about a foot from the hole.
"I've been playing well over the last year, year and a half and I felt like a victory was in the near future," said Cochran, who was out of golf for about six years with wrist and elbow problems that required surgery.
"I'm back playing and my game's a little bit different, but it's pretty solid," he said. "I'm hoping I can take this and go (on) to more victories on the Champions Tour."
Funk, who began the day with a two-stroke lead, shot a 68. He had a chance to win in regulation, but missed 3-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
He landed his approach into a bunker on the playoff hole - a replay of the 18th - but failed to get up and down and extend the match.
Tom Pernice Jr., Cochran and John Cook were all tied for second entering the final round.
Pernice had a 67 to finish a stroke back at 11-under after missing a putt on the final hole that would have gotten him into the playoff.
Tom Watson, who at 59 lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink in last year's British Open, shot a 70 to finish at 3-under. Bernhard Langer, a five time winner this year on the tour, shot an 80 to finish at 6-over.
Funk, who won the Jeld-Wen Tradition - a major title - three weeks ago, was clearly disappointed at the outcome.
"It was my tournament to win," he said.
The 54-year-old Funk was co-leader with Michael Allen and Jay Don Blake after the first round and was sole leader going into the final round.
"I was very shocked when Fred missed," said Cochran, adding he had given his ball to his caddy - who is also his son - and was in the process of handing over his glove when Funk's short putt veered off to the left of the hole.
The event, played in the port city of Incheon west of Seoul, had a record Champions Tour purse of $3 million.
The tournament was plagued by heavy rains, which delayed the start of play Friday and Saturday. Conditions markedly improved Sunday with play ending under sunny skies.
Golf great Jack Nicklaus, who designed the course, said Wednesday that a performance of 4-under a day would probably be enough to win the tournament. He was nearly right.
Champions Tour President Mike Stevens declared the tournament a success, despite the challenges posed by the weather and the logistics of playing so far away in Asia.
"We're embarking on an international strategy and growth for our tour," he said.
Sandy Lyle finished joint 10th on 211 after rounds of 70, 70 and 71.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
204 Russ Cochran 73 65 66 (Russ won at first play-off hole), Fred Funk 69 67 68
205 Tom Pernice Jnr. 74 64 67
208 D A Weibring 71 68 69, Naomichi Joe Ozaki (Jpn) 72 69 67
209 Mark Calcavecchia 74 66 69
210 Michael Allen 69 70 71, John Cook 70 68 72, Tim Simpson 73 68 69
211 Scott Simpson 73 72 66, Sandy Lyle (Sco) 70 70 71, J.L. Lewis 74 68 69, David Frost (Rsa) 73 69 69
212 Craig Stadler 74 67 71, Mike Reid 75 68 69, Jay Don Blake 69 76 67, Jay Haas 76 69 67
213 Brad Bryant 73 70 70, Tom Watson 75 68 70, Keith Fergus 73 69 71, James Mason 74 68 71, Peter Senior (Aus) 73 69 71
214 Chip Beck 76 68 70, Ronnie Black 73 69 72, Tommy Armour III 74 68 72
215 Denis Watson (Zim) 72 68 75, Mike Goodes 76 69 70, Bob Tway 80 67 68
216 Mark Wiebe 74 70 72
217 Jeff Sluman 74 73 70
218 Andy Bean 73 73 72, Olin Browne 72 73 73, Morris Hatalsky 76 70 72, Bob Gilder 76 69 73, Don Pooley 73 71 74
219 Mark O'Meara 74 73 72, John Jacobs 79 71 69
220 Tom Jenkins 78 70 72
221 Des Smyth (Irl) 77 70 74, David Eger 74 73 74, Jerry Pate 79 69 73
222 Bruce Fleisher 75 74 73, Bernhard Langer (Ger) 73 69 80
223 Bruce Lietzke 76 75 72, Bruce Vaughan 78 70 75, Gene Jones 73 75 75, Wayne Levi 77 72 74
224 Phil Blackmar 78 73 73, Nam-sin Park (Kor) 72 79 73, Sang-ho Choi (Kor) 76 77 71, Graham Marsh (Aus) 77 76 71
228 Mike McCullough 76 73 79
229 Gwang-Soo Choi (Kor) 77 77 75
230 Bobby Wadkins 78 74 78
234 Fulton Allem (Rsa) 81 81 72
235 Choon bok Moon (Kor) 74 81 80
FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
INCHEON, South Korea (AP) — Russ Cochran won the Songdo Championship todayfor his first US Champions (Seniors) Tour victory after making a birdie on the opening hole of a playoff with Fred Funk in the 50-and-over circuit's first event in Asia.
The 51-year-old left-hander finished at 12-under 204 on the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea to earn $456,000. He won the 1991 Western Open for his lone US PGA Tour title.
Cochran, who shot a final-round 66 to force the play-off, tapped in for the win after splashing a shot from the bunker to about a foot from the hole.
"I've been playing well over the last year, year and a half and I felt like a victory was in the near future," said Cochran, who was out of golf for about six years with wrist and elbow problems that required surgery.
"I'm back playing and my game's a little bit different, but it's pretty solid," he said. "I'm hoping I can take this and go (on) to more victories on the Champions Tour."
Funk, who began the day with a two-stroke lead, shot a 68. He had a chance to win in regulation, but missed 3-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.
He landed his approach into a bunker on the playoff hole - a replay of the 18th - but failed to get up and down and extend the match.
Tom Pernice Jr., Cochran and John Cook were all tied for second entering the final round.
Pernice had a 67 to finish a stroke back at 11-under after missing a putt on the final hole that would have gotten him into the playoff.
Tom Watson, who at 59 lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink in last year's British Open, shot a 70 to finish at 3-under. Bernhard Langer, a five time winner this year on the tour, shot an 80 to finish at 6-over.
Funk, who won the Jeld-Wen Tradition - a major title - three weeks ago, was clearly disappointed at the outcome.
"It was my tournament to win," he said.
The 54-year-old Funk was co-leader with Michael Allen and Jay Don Blake after the first round and was sole leader going into the final round.
"I was very shocked when Fred missed," said Cochran, adding he had given his ball to his caddy - who is also his son - and was in the process of handing over his glove when Funk's short putt veered off to the left of the hole.
The event, played in the port city of Incheon west of Seoul, had a record Champions Tour purse of $3 million.
The tournament was plagued by heavy rains, which delayed the start of play Friday and Saturday. Conditions markedly improved Sunday with play ending under sunny skies.
Golf great Jack Nicklaus, who designed the course, said Wednesday that a performance of 4-under a day would probably be enough to win the tournament. He was nearly right.
Champions Tour President Mike Stevens declared the tournament a success, despite the challenges posed by the weather and the logistics of playing so far away in Asia.
"We're embarking on an international strategy and growth for our tour," he said.
Sandy Lyle finished joint 10th on 211 after rounds of 70, 70 and 71.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
204 Russ Cochran 73 65 66 (Russ won at first play-off hole), Fred Funk 69 67 68
205 Tom Pernice Jnr. 74 64 67
208 D A Weibring 71 68 69, Naomichi Joe Ozaki (Jpn) 72 69 67
209 Mark Calcavecchia 74 66 69
210 Michael Allen 69 70 71, John Cook 70 68 72, Tim Simpson 73 68 69
211 Scott Simpson 73 72 66, Sandy Lyle (Sco) 70 70 71, J.L. Lewis 74 68 69, David Frost (Rsa) 73 69 69
212 Craig Stadler 74 67 71, Mike Reid 75 68 69, Jay Don Blake 69 76 67, Jay Haas 76 69 67
213 Brad Bryant 73 70 70, Tom Watson 75 68 70, Keith Fergus 73 69 71, James Mason 74 68 71, Peter Senior (Aus) 73 69 71
214 Chip Beck 76 68 70, Ronnie Black 73 69 72, Tommy Armour III 74 68 72
215 Denis Watson (Zim) 72 68 75, Mike Goodes 76 69 70, Bob Tway 80 67 68
216 Mark Wiebe 74 70 72
217 Jeff Sluman 74 73 70
218 Andy Bean 73 73 72, Olin Browne 72 73 73, Morris Hatalsky 76 70 72, Bob Gilder 76 69 73, Don Pooley 73 71 74
219 Mark O'Meara 74 73 72, John Jacobs 79 71 69
220 Tom Jenkins 78 70 72
221 Des Smyth (Irl) 77 70 74, David Eger 74 73 74, Jerry Pate 79 69 73
222 Bruce Fleisher 75 74 73, Bernhard Langer (Ger) 73 69 80
223 Bruce Lietzke 76 75 72, Bruce Vaughan 78 70 75, Gene Jones 73 75 75, Wayne Levi 77 72 74
224 Phil Blackmar 78 73 73, Nam-sin Park (Kor) 72 79 73, Sang-ho Choi (Kor) 76 77 71, Graham Marsh (Aus) 77 76 71
228 Mike McCullough 76 73 79
229 Gwang-Soo Choi (Kor) 77 77 75
230 Bobby Wadkins 78 74 78
234 Fulton Allem (Rsa) 81 81 72
235 Choon bok Moon (Kor) 74 81 80
Labels: Pro seniors
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, September 12, 2010
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home