Sports

Golf

Jacobsen ekes out senior major

Associated Press
Published July 11, 2005

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DEARBORN, Mich. - Peter Jacobsen could only wait and watch as Hale Irwin tried to catch him in the final round of the Senior Players Championship.

After Jacobsen birdied two of the last three holes to take the lead at 15-under 273, the 60-year-old Irwin just missed birdie tries on the final two holes to come up a stroke short Sunday in his bid for his eighth senior major victory.

The 51-year-old Jacobsen won his second senior major in less than year, finishing with 6-under 66 on the TPC of Michigan course.

Jacobsen, playing three groups ahead of Irwin, made a birdie putt out of a collection area on the 16th and two-putted from 80 feet on the next hole for a birdie to surge past Irwin, who led by one Saturday.

Irwin, trying to tie Jack Nicklaus' record for senior major victories, came up inches short on a 13-foot birdie try on No. 17. Then, after a great approach on the final hole, the three-time U.S. Open winner just missed a 12-footer to finished with 70 after three 68s.

PGA: Sean O'Hair shot 6-under 65, holding off Robert Damron (67) and Hank Kuehne (68) to win the John Deere Classic in Silvas, Ill., for his first victory in just his 18th career tour start, a day before his 23rd birthday. He finished at 16-under 268 to win by one, earn $720,000 and a spot in Thursday's British Open. J.L. Lewis, Saturday's leader by three, shot 72-270.

EUROPEAN PGA: Tim Clark finally won outside his native South Africa, pulling away with 4-under 67 for a two-shot victory in the Scottish Open at Luss. Needing only two putts from 18 feet on the last hole, Clark made the birdie putt to finish at 19-under 265, tying the 72-hole record at Loch Lomond set by Tom Lehman in 1997. Maarten Lafeber, Saturday's co-leader by one with Clark, shot 69-267, tied for second and qualified for Thursday's British Open. Ernie Els (68) was six back and Phil Mickelson (69) 14 back.

LPGA: Heather Bowie won her first tour title, parring the third hole of a playoff with Gloria Park in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in Silvania, Ohio. Bowie, who earned $180,000 and a three-year LPGA Tour exemption, closed with 4-under 67 to match Park (66) at 10-under 274. Hee-Won Han, Saturday's leader by two, shot 73-275.

NATIONWIDE: Jason Gore won the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic in Bridgeport, W.Va., closing with 4-under 68 for a one-stroke win over Doug LaBelle II. Gore won his fourth career tour title three weeks after being tied for the third-round lead at the U.S. Open then shooting 14-over 84 in the final round to drop into a tie for 49th in the PGA's second major.

FUTURES: Virada Nirapathpongporn shot 69-142 to win in Bloomfield, Conn., by two. Jenny Gleason of Clearwater shot 75-147 and won $1,657. Kelly Lagedrost of Brooksville shot 76-150 to finish to win $770.

[Last modified July 11, 2005, 01:01:12]

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