Golf Roundup : Haas Ties It With a 60-Foot Putt, Then Wins Playoff

Jay Haas sank a 60-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to get into a playoff, then made a 2-foot par putt on the first playoff hole Sunday to deny Buddy Gardner his first PGA Tour victory in the $600,000 Houston Open at The Woodlands, Tex.

Haas earned $108,000 for his sixth PGA Tour victory, his first since 1982. Gardner, who finished second for the fourth time in his career, earned $64,000.

After Haas’ miracle putt on No. 18, Gardner had to scramble just to make the playoff. His tee shot on No. 18 was in the trees to the right and he blasted out and sank a long second putt.

Gardner chipped out of a bunker to within three feet of the cup on the par-3, 177-yard first playoff hole at No. 16. Haas chipped off the fringe on his second shot, then sank a two-footer after Gardner missed his short par putt.

Haas and Gardner finished 72 holes tied at 12-under-par 276, one shot ahead of Payne Stewart. Haas started the day three strokes off the pace and shot a five-under-par 67. Gardner closed out with a 70.

Bruce Crampton and Orville Moody came up with birdies on the first five holes and coasted to a four-stroke victory in the Legends of Golf senior tournament.

Crampton and Moody combined for a best-ball 64 and completed 72 holes at 251, a tournament-record 29 under par on the Onion Creek Club course at Austin, Tex.

They broke the 72-hole record of 255 set last year by Don January and Gene Littler.

It was the eighth victory for Crampton, 51, in his brief senior tour career, and the third for Moody, 53.

Bobby Nichols and Butch Baird shot a final-round 62, eight under par, and finished second at 255, matching the old record.

The teams of Peter Thomson-Ben Smith and Miller Barber-Bob Charles tied for third at 256.

Littler and January, who won this title the two previous years, finished at 258 after a 65.

In the Legendary Champions competition for players 60 and older, Jerry Barber, 71, and Doug Ford, 64, scored an easy seven-shot victory. Barber completed a final-round 67 for a 260 total with a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.

Ian Woosnam of Wales shot a six-under-par 66 to win the $250,000 Madrid Open with a 19-under-par 269, three strokes in front of Wayne Grady of Australia, who shot a 64. Severiano Ballesteros of Spain had a 66 on the Puerta de Hierro course and was another stroke back.

Isao Aoki drove into the trees on the final hole at Ina, Japan, but saved par to win the $357,000 Dunlop International Open--his 50th career victory--with an even-par 72 and a 277 total.