WOODY AUSTIN COMES IN FROM THE COLD AT THE AGE OF 49

FROM THE US PGA TOUR WEBSITE

In the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship, Woody Austin shot a 5-under 67 and won at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off against  Daniel Summerhays and Cameron Beckman.
MADISON, Miss. -- Woody Austin's spent the past few years living the life of a golf nomad, not knowing when his next opportunity to play on the US PGA Tour would come.

Those days are over for a while.
The 49-year-old Austin won the Sanderson Farms Championship on Sunday for his first US Tour victory since 2007, beating Cameron Beckman and Daniel Summerhays with an 8-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff.
"It's been a long road and a long time," Austin said. "Now I've got a job again."
Austin is the eighth-oldest winner in US PGA Tour history and the oldest since Fred Funk won at 50 in 2007. The victory gave him a two-year exemption on the US PGA Tour and a spot in the PGA Championship -- not to mention 300 FedExCup points to move to No. 130 in the latest standings.
Not bad for a guy who hadn't even made a cut on the TOUR this year.
Austin came into the final round two shots behind Summerhays and Nicholas Thompson, but made up ground with a 5-under 67 to finish at 20-under 268. His final round didn't start particularly well -- he bogeyed No. 2 -- but he recovered with an eagle on No. 5 and birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 to vault back into contention.
"My iron play is my strength and it was there this week," said Austin, who has four career victories. "I was able to maneuvre the ball around, get the ball close to the flag. The most important part of the game is putting and I putted good this week, plain and simple."
Beckman and Summerhays both birdied No. 18 to match Austin, and Beckman missed a 5-foot putt that would have forced a second playoff hole.
Beckman shot 67, and Summerhays had a 69 in the last round.

Summerhays and Thompson started the day with a share of the lead, two shots ahead the pack.

But Thompson fell out of contention quickly with a double bogey on No. 5 and a bogey on No. 8. He finished fourth at 18 under, two shots back after a 71. Summerhays moved into the lead with a birdie on No. 9, but made bogey on 14 and fell behind until making birdies on both Nos. 17 and 18.
It was the second straight week Summerhays failed to close a tournament after having at least a share of the lead on the final day. His drive on the playoff hole -- the 532-yard, par-5 18th -- found the bunker on the right side of the fairway and he hit into the water on his second shot.
He tied for fourth the week before at the John Deere, a stroke out of a playoff after bogeying the final hole.
"It's tough to swallow for sure, but again, it's my first playoff and there are all these new 'firsts,'" Summerhays said. "Hopefully I can continue to learn and grow."
Summerhays praised Austin for making clutch putts in the final round.
"You've got to be kidding me -- he's 49 years old and kicking all our butts," Summerhays said. "Hats off to him."
Austin wasn't the only veteran making a move on the final day.
Beckman, 43, recovered from a 72 in the opening round to post a 64, 65 and 67 in the last three rounds. He was tied for the lead at various times Sunday. He drilled an impressive 15-foot birdie putt to force the playoff, but his 5-foot putt on the playoff hole missed to the right.
Billy Andrade charged up the leaderboard with a 65 to tie for fifth at 17 under. The 49-year-old started the day seven shots off the lead but climbed quickly by shooting 7 under through his first 11 holes. He finished with seven straight pars.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS Par 288 (4x72) Players from USA unless stated 268 Woody Austin 69 65 67 67, Daniel Summerhays 63 67 69 69, Cameron Beckman 72 64 65 67 270 Nicholas Thompson 69 65 65 71 271 Billy Andrade 73 66 67 65, Kyle Reifers 65 69 67 70 TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES CLICK HERE