Langer holes bunker shot for US seniors' event victory

FROM THE PGATOUR.COM WEBSITE
By Craig Dolch
Bernhard Langer briefly lost the lead Sunday before a birdie on the last hole of regulation forced a play-off that he won by holing a bunker shot.
The ball was buried in the bunker. So, too, appeared to be Bernhard Langer's chances of finally winning his home town event, the Allianz Champion at Boca Raton, Florida.
But with a stroke of brilliance, Langer watched as his ball left its tangled dirt, rolled across the green and disappeared into the hole for an unlikely eagle. Langer did his best Bob Tway impersonation, jumping up and down in the bunker three times before high-fiving his caddie.
Langer's eagle enabled the Boca Raton resident to defeat John Cook on the first hole of Sunday's sudden-death play-off in front of family and friends at Broken Sound. The finish came just 30 minutes after Langer appeared to have blown the tournament when he missed a 4ft par putt at the 17th hole.
"I didn't want to make it that exciting," Langer said. "It's very emotional because I was able to win in front of my family. When I saw the lie was plugged, I was just trying to get it within 4 feet. You could probably put me in there 50 times and I probably wouldn't hole it again."
He doesn't have to, of course. Langer (67-199) made the shot when it counted, and he was still giddy an hour later.
"I've won a lot of tournaments around the world," he said, "but this probably ranks in the top three in my career."
It's kind of hard to crack the first two -- his two Masters titles.
This also marked the second consecutive victory for Langer when he holed a shot at the final hole (he also chipped in at last year's 3M Championship). That's how you claim consecutive Player of the Year titles on the Champions Tour.
"Hall of Famers do things like that," Cook said. "That's why they're Hall of Famers. I've now played in three play-offs in my career. I've shot one under and I'm now 0-3. As much as I've won in my career, I can tell you it's no fun to lose in a play-off."
Cook (67) appeared to be in control of the play-off when he reached the par-5 18th hole - the designated play-off hole - in two shots. He was looking at a 30ft eagle try.
"I saw he had a buried lie, so I'm thinking I might just have to two-putt this to win," Cook said. "When I saw his ball come out, I'm thinking, 'Well, this is going to be close, so I'll just two-putt and we'll go to the next hole.' All of a sudden it goes in the hole and now I have to make it."
Cook almost matched Langer's heroics, but his eagle try lipped out on the high side. Cook had run backward, thinking the putt was going in, but quickly walked toward Langer and shook hands with the winner.
"He said, 'You were unlucky,' " Cook said. "I told him, 'No, I wasn't.' "
It was a dramatic ending to an intriguing day of golf where at one point eight players were tied for the lead.
Langer birdied the 13th hole to become the first player to get to 17 under. Cook, who's now 0-for-105 in Florida on the US PGA TOUR and Champions Tour, was the only one to join him, though, at 17 under when he birdied the 18th hole in regulation.
Langer dropped to 16 under with the bogey at No. 17, but made a short birdie putt at No. 18 to force the playoff.
"I felt like I had a good putt at 17, so it didn't bother me that much," Langer said. "I knew what I had to do at 18, and I was able to do that."
Joey Sindelar, playing just three months after he suffered a pulmonary embolism, challenged for his first career Champions Tour title, but came up one shot short after a 67. Gene Jones (66) finished alone in fourth.
Marquee names such as Hall-of-Famer Nick Price (70) and Tom Lehman (69) were also in contention, until they both double-bogeyed the difficult par-4 15th hole.
Sunday's finish marked the third consecutive Champions Tour event this year that has been decided by a shot. The winners have been stout: Tom Watson, Fred Couples and now Langer.
"Our tour is very strong," Cook said. "It takes great golf to win out here. For anyone to think otherwise, they're very misguided."
First prize was worth $247,500 to Langer who was the leading money-winner - again - on the US Over-50s Tour last season. He's off and running again ...

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72).
Players from US unless stated.
199 Bernhard Langer (Germany) 67 65 67, John Cook 66 66 67 (Langer won play-off at first hole).
200 Joey Sindelar 68 65 67.
201 Gene Jones 68 67 66.
202 Mike Reid 65 69 68, Loren Roberts 66 67 69, Tom Lehman 66 67 69, Tim Simpson 66 65 71.
Selected scores:
215 Mark James (England) 72 72 70 (jt 50th).
216 Ian Woosnam (Wales) 71 74 71(jt 55th).

Paul Casey gives $100,000 to Houston charity

Paul Casey promised to help a local charity after winning the Houston Open last year for his first US PGA Tour victory. Tournament officials discovered today that it was no idle small talk. The English Ryder Cup player was serious.
Casey and his wife, Jocelyn, are giving $100,000 to a charity through the Houston Golf Association, which runs the event. He will work with tournament director Steve Timms to figure out which charity gets the money.
Casey, a runner-up at the World Match-play Championship on Sunday in Arizona, flew to Houston to make the announcement and meet with the media about his title defence. He won last year in a play-off over J B Holmes.
The Houston Open is held from April 1-4.

Local lad Vanegas wins in Colombia

By SARAH GWYNN
European Challenge Tour Press Officer
Home favourite David Vanegas produced a dominating final day performance to win the Abierto Internacional de Golf II Copa Antioquia, his first victory since turning professional 14 months ago.
On his home course, the Club Campestre El Rodeo Sede La Macarena, 23-year-old Vanegas carded a 67 in the fourth round to reach 12 under par for the tournament, four shots clear of American Nathan Smith, whose 69 featured a hole in one at the 195yd 11th hole.
Vince Covello, also from the United States, was six shots back in third place at the curtain-raiser for the 2010 Challenge Tour season, which was co-sanctioned with the Tour de las Americas and the Canadian Tour.
Having started the last day with a one-shot lead over Covello, Vanegas started well with a birdie at the first, then had a run of four birdies in five holes from the eighth. He bogeyed the 13th to give the chasing pack a glimmer of hope, but a birdie at the last rubber-stamped a convincing win.
“I can barely contain my tears, this is so emotional! I’m extremely happy to win, but I find it hard to explain how I feel,” said Vanegas, who collected a cheque for US $35,200 and earns playing privileges on the three tours.
“There are many opportunities for me to play internationally after this win and I intend to take full advantage of them. I’m going to enjoy this one and over the following few days I will decide where to play.”
Defending champion Peter Gustafsson closed with a 70 to be the highest-placed European in fourth, while Englishman Robert Dinwiddie took fifth spot.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
272 D Vanegas (Col) 67 69 69 67
276 N Smith (USA) 71 65 71 69
278 V Covello (USA) 68 69 69 72
279 P Gustafsson (Swe) 68 74 67 70
280 R Dinwiddie (Eng) 67 73 70 70
281 J Larsen (Nor) 68 72 68 73, J Zapata (Arg) 68 71 71 71, M Tullo (Chi) 69 69 73 70,
282 R Kakko (Fin) 71 68 72 71, B Wiesberger (Aut) 74 70 67 71
283 A Velasco (Esp) 69 69 69 76, R Sanz (Ven) 68 70 74 71, W Besseling (Ned) 71 71 69 72, C Monasterio (Arg) 68 75 69 71
284 J Garrido (Col) 69 70 71 74, J Etulain (Arg) 75 68 69 72, R Blaum (USA) 68 73 73 70, O Alvarez (Col) 71 64 72 77, J Estevez (Arg) 68 71 71 74
285 M Merizalde (Col) 71 71 69 74, F Ojeda Racioppi (Arg) 64 71 75 75, J Clément (Sui) 70 69 74 72, A Bernadet (Fra) 69 71 79 66, J Luna (Col) 73 69 71 72, G Murray (Sco) 74 68 69 74, O Floren (Swe) 76 64 73 72, L Kennedy (Eng) 75 68 71 71, A Snobeck (Fra) 71 69 70 75
286 J Morgan (Eng) 70 74 68 74, M Korhonen (Fin) 70 71 72 73, M Gillis (Can) 69 72 73 72, A Ahokas (Fin) 72 69 73 72, R Gomez (Arg) 73 69 74 70
287 A Gonzales (USA) 70 71 74 72, P Pinto (Arg) 75 68 71 73, F De Vries (Ned) 72 72 73 70, R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 71 72 75, S Tiley (Eng) 75 68 73 71, E Herrera (Col) 71 72 71 73, M Higley (Eng) 67 69 78 73
288 R Thornberry (USA) 72 72 71 73, M Mezei (Can) 69 72 76 71, S Fernandez (Arg) 73 69 76 70, R Yip (Can) 71 72 68 77
289 A Pinedo (Col) 72 70 72 75, J Moul (Eng) 71 72 71 75, D Brooks (Eng) 72 71 76 70, M Garcia (Arg) 73 67 74 75, D Gillespie (Can) 77 67 76 69, S Acevedo (Arg) 72 72 68 77, L Di Marino (Arg) 69 75 74 71, T Olesen (Den) 71 69 74 75
290 M Guzman (Arg) 75 69 75 71, R Steiner (Aut) 73 71 75 71, M Carlsson (Swe) 68 73 74 75, H Leon (Chi) 73 71 74 72
291 J Doherty (Sco) 70 71 74 76, M Rodriguez (Arg) 74 70 69 78, M Molina (Arg) 73 71 76 71, M Quiros (Esp) 72 71 76 72
292 A Adrian (Ven) 72 72 71 77
293 C Costilla (Arg) 72 72 71 78, G Agudelo (Col) 75 69 72 77, S Saavedra (Arg) 69 73 74 77, J Habig (USA) 72 72 75 74
294 E Dominguez (Arg) 73 70 76 75
295 W Murillo (Ven) 70 74 77 74, J Abbate (Arg) 71 72 78 74, B Evans (Eng) 75 68 76 76,
296 R Carter (USA) 72 72 76 76
297 J Xanthopoulos (Fra) 68 76 71 82, P Relecom (Bel) 73 71 78 75
299 B Heaven (Nzl) 72 70 79 78
Disqualified: A Kaleka (Fra) 71 70 75 -.

North-east Alliance switch from Buckpool to Montrose.

Wednesday's North-east Golfers' Alliance competition has been switched from Buckpool to Montrose where there is no snow on the course.

Beckman wins $648,000 prize in Mexico

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
American Cameron Beckman produced his fourth consecutive sub-70 round on Sunday to win the US PGA Tour's Mayakoba Golf Classic by two shots at Riviera Maya-Cancun in Mexico.
Having posted rounds of 65, 68, 69 over the first three days, the 40-year-old closed the competition with a four-under-par 67 to finish on 15 under overall and secure the third Tour title of his career and a cashs prize of $648,000.
Beckman started his final round three strokes behind Joe Durant, who had set the pace from the outset, but the Floridian could only manage a 72 on Sunday and had to settle for joint second place alongside fellow American Brian Stuard (66).
Sweden's Richard S Johnson carded a final round of 65 to end in a tie for fourth a further shot back alongside US quartet Skip Kendall (64), Briny Baird (68), Chad Collins (70) and JP Hayes (71).
Beckman was in no doubt as to what had been the key to his victory.
"Without question, putting," he said. "I mean, I hit the ball well also, but this is probably the best I've putted in a long time - probably since the last time I won.
"I just put a new putter in play two weeks ago, and just absolutely putted beautifully on these greens.
"My caddie and I read them really well, too - just a beautiful week of putting."
A birdie on the 17th on Sunday helped Beckman clinch the most comprehensive triumph of his three career titles to date.
He recalled: "The first one I won by a shot on the last hole. The last one I won in a play-off. So this one was a little bit easier, but still difficult."
Controversial as ever, John Daly had an 81 in his final round after three earlier sub-70 scores.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 284 (4x71)
269 Cameron Beckman 65 68 69 67
271 Brian Stuard 67 67 71 66, Joe Durant 64 66 69 72
272 Richard S Johnson (Swe) 68 71 68 65, Chad Collins 67 68 67 70, J.P. Hayes 65 67 69 71, Briny Baird 65 70 69 68, Skip Kendall 70 69 69 64
273 Kevin Stadler 69 67 67 70, Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 65 72 69 67
274 Charles Warren 67 69 65 73, Matt Weibring 69 67 68 70
275 Chris Riley 68 68 70 69, Ted Purdy 69 69 67 70, Mark Hensby (Aus) 67 68 71 69, Heath Slocum 68 69 67 71
276 Mike Small 73 68 68 67, Shaun Micheel 68 68 70 70, Glen Day 70 68 68 70
277 Jeff Maggert 66 70 71 70, K J Choi (Kor) 67 70 69 71, Charles Howell III 68 71 66 72
278 Francis Quinn 72 67 70 69, Marco Dawson 69 71 70 68, Tim Herron 70 71 66 71, Billy Mayfair 72 65 71 70, Tom Pernice Jnr. 66 68 71 73
279 Jerry Kelly 68 72 69 70, Spencer Levin 69 69 70 71, Vance Veazey 71 66 71 71, Todd Hamilton 71 68 69 71, Michael Connell 70 67 70 72, Mark Wilson 71 69 70 69, Dean Wilson 67 71 70 71, Shigeki Maruyama (Jpn) 66 71 73 69, Frank Lickliter II 72 68 70 69
280 Chris Tidland 67 69 72 72, Mark Brooks 69 70 71 70, John Morse 70 68 71 71
281 Brendon De Jonge 70 68 67 76, Chris Stroud 69 71 71 70, Erik Compton 67 72 73 69, Jay Williamson 67 71 73 70, Santiago Luna (Spa) 71 70 68 72, J.L. Lewis 71 69 70 71, Matt Bettencourt 71 68 69 73, Thomas Levet (Fra) 66 70 69 76
282 J J Henry 70 69 69 74, Kirk Triplett 71 69 68 74, John Merrick 68 72 70 72, Garrett Willis 69 69 74 70, Steve Wheatcroft 67 70 71 74, Michael Clark II 70 70 71 71, Jason Gore 66 71 68 77
283 Brad Faxon 71 68 71 73, Paul Stankowski 71 68 71 73, Boo Weekley 67 72 71 73, Craig Bowden 68 70 71 74
284 Kris Blanks 72 69 71 72, Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 69 69 73 73
285 David Lutterus (Rsa) 72 68 75 70, Chris Wilson 70 70 72 73
286 Justin Bolli 73 68 68 77, Joe Ogilvie 69 70 75 72, Greg Kraft 69 70 76 71, Roger Tambellini 70 69 68 79
287 John Daly 68 69 69 81, Jonathan Kaye 70 70 72 75, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 70 71 73 73, Jim Carter 70 70 74 73
288 Mark Calcavecchia 68 72 73 75, Craig Barlow 70 69 78 71, Jerod Turner 70 70 70 78
290 Robin Freeman 70 71 77 72
291 Spike McRoy 73 67 75 76

Accenture World Match-play Final

Poulter wins £900,000 jackpot with 4 and 2 win over Casey

FROM THE AOL GOLF NEWS SERVICE
Ian Poulter beat compatriot Paul Casey 4 and 2 in the 36-hole final to win the WGC-Accenture World Match Play title - and a first prize of almost £900,000 - at Dove Mountain in the Arizona desert.
It makes the 34-year-old the first Englishman to lift any of the four World Golf Championship individual trophies and takes him to a career-high fifth in the world, just ahead of Casey.
He was ahead from the seventh hole of the morning round after Casey had first overcome Colombian Camilo Villegas in a semi-final that could not be completed on Saturday because of fading light.
============================
More News
Harmon sees no imminent Woods return
Begay 'choked up' by Woods statement
US PGA Tour's official website
============================
Poulter almost chipped in for eagle at the driveable 15th and, when Casey missed with his 13-foot birdie attempt, he was three down with three to go.
Casey found sand at the short 34th and after failing to get up and down Poulter, with two for it, made a 10-footer for a 4&2 win, the biggest of his life.
"It feels really, really nice," he said. "It's been a long time coming and I am very happy.
"It was a good day's golf. I knew I was in great form and I felt calm all day - nerves didn't play any factor at all.
"I know Paul's disappointed being runner-up two years in a row."
Meanwhile, Colombian Camilo Villegas took third place in Tucson with a 5&4 victory over Spain's Sergio Garcia in the 18-hole play-off.