• TOM LEHMAN SCORES FIRST UNITED STATES

   SENIORS' TOUR WIN SINCE 2012

  • June 22, 2014
    
• Tom Lehman held off Michael Allen and Kirk Triplett by one shot to capture his first Champions Tour win since 2012. (Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

GLENVIEW, Illinois (AP) -- Tom Lehman made a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to win the Encompass Championship on the US Champions Tour.
The 55-year-old Lehman closed with a 2-under 70 at North Shore and had a 15-under 201 total for his eighth senior title and first since 2012. He rebounded from bogeys on Nos. 13 and 14 -- his only dropped strokes of the week -- with birdies on Nos. 15 and 16, parred the par-3 17th and won on the par-4 18th.
"It wasn't my very best performance today, but it was good enough," Lehman said.
Michael Allen and Kirk Triplett tied for second, a stroke back. Allen shot 67, and Triplett had a 68.
Lehman, the 1996 Open winner, opened with rounds of 65 and 66 to take a three-stroke lead into the final round. He ended a 27-event victory drought.
Lehman parred the first 11 holes before birdieing No. 12.
Triplett birdied the first, sixth, 13th and 16th holes in his bogey-free round. His approach on the final hole stopped in the back fringe. He missed a 20-foot birdie attempt.
Allen birdied three of the last four holes, with his approach on 18 hitting the flagstick and stopping 4 inches from the cup.
Doug Garwood was fourth at 13 under after a 66. He played the first 10 holes in 4 under and briefly grabbed a share of the lead at 13 under with an eagle on the 16th hole, but three-putted for bogey on the 17th to fall back.
Russ Cochran took advantage of a swing adjustment to shooting the best round of the tournament, an 8-under 64 that left him in a tie for sixth at 10 under.
"I got up on my toes more," Cochran said. "Seems like a little thing, but it seemed like it did the trick."
Colin Montgomerie was 10 under after a round of 70.
Hale Irwin matched his age with a 69 to tie for 39th at 3 under.