Wiebe Wins on First Hole of Playoff

Mark Wiebe birdied the first hole of a sudden-death playoff Sunday to defeat John Mahaffey in the $500,000 Anheuser-Busch golf tournament.

The 27-year-old resident of Escondido collected $90,000 for the win, his first since joining the Professional Golfers’ Assn. Tour on a full-time basis last year.

Wiebe, who has been to qualifying school numerous times, and Mahaffey, who won this event in 1981, finished regulation play at 11-under-par 273 over the 6,746-yard, par-71 Kingsmill Golf Club course.

Wiebe, who entered the 72nd hole leading Mahaffey by one stroke, pushed his drive on the 408-yard, par-4 18th through the fairway and into the right rough.

His approach landed on the lower level of the two-tiered green, about 60 feet from the hole, which was on the upper level. His first putt came up 16 feet short, and his par-saving effort slid just past the hole, forcing the playoff.

The two golfers moved to the 427-yard, par-4 16th for the playoff.

Wiebe put his drive down the middle of the fairway, while Mahaffey sliced his onto the cart path to the right of the hole.

Wiebe’s second shot landed on the green about 10 feet from the pin. Mahaffey chose to play his shot from the cart path, and put his approach on the green, but about 25 feet from the pin.

Mahaffey, putting first, came up short, setting the stage for the winning putt by Wiebe, who finished fourth earlier this year at Westchester and entered the Anheuser-Busch 117th on the money list.