A Caddy in ‘86, Calcavecchia Is Winner in ’87

It was a one-year leap from caddy to champion for Mark Calcavecchia.

He had struggled through three full seasons of disappointment and frustration on the PGA Tour, then lost his playing rights due to lack of performance in 1985.

But then a week after Calcavecchia caddied for friend Ken Green in this tournament last year, he won his way into the field at the Doral Open, picked up a $13,000 check and was on his way.

He won a tournament--the Southwest--last year and then finished third in the first three events this year.

Sunday, Calcavecchia had a closing round of two-under par 70 to finish at nine-under 279 on Tournament Players Club at Eagle Trace. The victory was worth $108,000 from a purse of $600,000 and vaulted Calcavecchia into third place on the money-winning list with $235,025.

Bernhard Langer, with a closing 75, and Payne Stewart, with a 71, tied for second at 282. Bruce Lietzke was alone in fourth at 284 after a 75 in the sunny, windy weather.

Lietzke took himself out of it by hitting a ball into the water for a triple bogey on the seventh hole.

Stewart was one shot back with two holes to play when he, too, got one wet and took a double bogey.

Langer, meanwhile, had trouble putting. “Bernhard missed everything he hit,” Calcavecchia said.