Golf Roundup : Texas Playoffs a Big Pain for Stewart--Pohl Wins This One

Dan Pohl sank an eight-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to beat Payne Stewart in a playoff Sunday in the rain-shortened $600,000 Colonial National Invitational at Fort Worth, Tex.

Pohl, 31, tied Stewart at 205 on the 54th hole by sinking an eight-foot putt for par that gave him a 68.

On the first playoff hole, the par-3 No. 16, Stewart’s tee shot landed in the rough behind the green. Pohl’s ball stopped eight feet from the flag.

Stewart chipped to within tap-in distance. Then Pohl rolled in the winner for his first victory in nine years on the PGA tour.

Heavy rains had washed out Saturday’s round, reducing the tournament to a 54-hole event. Sunday it was chilly with an occasional drizzle.

The win was worth $108,000 to Pohl and increased his earnings this year to $292,357. Stewart, who finished regulation play well before Pohl did, shot a 66 and won $64,800.

“It’s been so long coming. I’ve knocked on the door so often, but it seems like the man from poltergeist kept slamming it in my face,” Pohl said.

Stewart has lost three sudden-death playoffs in three years in Texas. In 1984, he lost this tournament, and last year at the Byron Nelson tournament, he blew a three-shot lead on the 72nd hole to force a playoff, which he lost.

“I did it again,” Stewart said. “Texas owes me one--at least one. I’ve got to think that one of these days I’m going to win a tournament in Texas.”

Tom Watson, who hasn’t won a tournament since 1984, came on with a brilliant 64 and closed to within two shots of the lead at 207. He one-putted 11 times, including four from 30 feet or more.

“A lot of fun,” Watson said, “I was putting a la Watson of 1980.”

He was tied at third with Bernhard Langer of West Germany and Bill Rogers. Langer shot 67, Rogers a 69.

At the $200,000 Chrysler Plymouth women’s tournament at Chatham Township, N.J., Becky Pearson rolled in a three-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win her first tournament in seven years on the LPGA tour.

Pearson shot a two-under-par 71 and finished with a seven-under-par 212, one shot ahead of rookie Deb Richard and second-round leader Betsy King.

Richard also shot a 71, while King had a 74 on the 6,265-yard course at the Fairmount Country Club.

Tied for third at 214 were Dawn Coe and Judy Dickinson.

Pearson shared the spotlight with Pat Bradley, who became the first player on the LPGA tour to reach $2 million in career earnings.

Bradley finished tied for 11th and won $3,425, pushing her career winnings to $2,000,346.

Richard, playing in the group ahead of Pearson, birdied No. 18 to move into a tie at six-under par.

Pearson, King and Coe all had birdie opportunities on No. 18. Coe missed and settled for par. Pearson and King made their putts, Pearson’s three-footer giving her the $30,000 first-place prize.

Gary Player sank a five-foot putt to win the $200,000 United Hospital Senior tournament by one stroke at the Chester Valley Country Club at Frazer, Pa.

Player, from South Africa, who joined the 50-and-over tour last December, led Friday and Saturday and finished with a 54-hole total of 206 after shooting a 70 Sunday.

Player won $30,000, making him the top money winner on the Senior tour at $128,238.

Left-hander Bob Charles of New Zealand and Lee Elder finished tied for second at 207. Each won $16,500.

Bruce Crampton from Australia was fourth at 208. Arnold Palmer, who shot a one-under par 69, was fifth at 209.

In the $215,000 Spanish Open at Madrid, Howard Clark of Britain shot a 67 to win by a stroke over Ian-Baker Finch of Australia.

Clark, who won $38,685 and an new car, finished at 16-under 272, while Finch placed second at 273 after shooting a 68 Sunday.

Defending champion Seve Ballesteros was third at 276. Roger Davis of Australia had the day’s best score--a six-under-par 64--but finished eighth at 282.