Golf Roundup : Pavin Retains Hawaiian Open Title With a Playoff Victory Over Stadler

Corey Pavin rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole Sunday to defeat Craig Stadler and successfully defend his Hawaiian Open title at Honolulu.

Pavin, in winning his second tournament of the year, had to make up six strokes over the final 18 holes at the 6,975-yard Waialae Country Club course and then wait out a down-to-the-wire battle between Stadler and Paul Azinger.

Pavin, who earlier this year won the Bob Hope Classic, earned $108,000 for the victory and now has $307,040 in earnings this year. He started the day at 10 under par and turned in an 8-under-par 64 for a 72-hole total of 270.

He shot a 65 to take the first-round lead, but appeared to be out of the running when he followed with a three-over 75. However, he recovered Saturday with a 66 and capped the tournament with Sunday’s round that put him in the playoff.

“I didn’t think I had much of a chance at the start of today’s round,” Pavin said. “Six shots is a lot to make up, especially when you have so many people to pass.”

But he added he thought he had a chance to win after he dropped in a par-saving six-foot putt on the 17th hole.

“I never felt I had any control over the tournament,” he said. “I was hoping nobody would make a birdie coming in.”

That’s exactly what happened and, with that, Pavin said: “I managed to sneak in.”

Stadler, who teed off on the final round with a one-stroke lead over Azinger, had to turn in a pair of birdies over the final nine holes to make it to the playoff. Stadler, who shot a 62 Saturday to take the lead, shot a final-round 70.

Azinger, who also shot a final-round 70, bogeyed the par-3, 187-yard 17th hole to finish alone in third place at 17-under 271.

Nancy Lopez won the $200,000 Sarasota, Fla., tournament by three strokes, registering her 35th career victory to become eligible for the LPGA Hall of Fame.

She needs only to complete the 10-year competition requirement in July to become the 11th player in the select group.

Lopez shot a final round of two-over-par 74 as northwest winds of 23 m.p.h. sent scores soaring. She finished with a 72-hole total of seven-under-par 281--three shots ahead of Kathy Baker and Anne Marie Palli.

Lonnie Nielsen sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the sixth extra hole to beat Dana Quigley for the title in the PGA Match Play Championship at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Nielsen, who won the PGA of America’s Stroke Play tournament Jan. 22, is the first player to sweep the two titles in the same year since Jim Dent did it in 1980.