Golf Roundup : Crenshaw Looking Good, Wins Doral on Final Hole

When it came to the 18th hole in the Doral Open, Ben Crenshaw couldn’t look and Julie Crenshaw couldn’t see.

Crenshaw rolled in an 18-foot on the final hole to cap a six-under-par 66 and win the tournament by one stroke over Mark McCumber and Chip Beck Sunday at Miami.

Crenshaw’s wife didn’t see the winning putt drop because she lost her contact lenses earlier in the week and then covered her glasses because she couldn’t bear to watch.

“I saw the putt rolling, but I couldn’t see it go in,” she said. “I haven’t seen it go in yet. I saw the caddy straighten up real quick. He does that when the putt’s good. That’s the only way I knew.”

Beck and McCumber, playing behind Crenshaw, each came to the final hole and could have tied Crenshaw and forced a playoff.

Crenshaw was haunted by thoughts of T.C. Chen getting even with a long birdie putt on the final hole of the 1987 L.A. Open and then beating Crenshaw in a playoff.

“I couldn’t look,” said Crenshaw, who prowled around behind the gallery. “I kept thinking about what happened at the L.A. Open last year.”

When they missed, Crenshaw pocketed $180,000 with a score of 274, 14 shots under par.

McCumber, who had a 68, and Beck tied for second at 275. Beck, who won the L.A. Open last week for his first career victory, had a 69.

Ray Floyd was fourth at 276 after a 68.

Bobby Wadkins, who led for three rounds in quest of his first title in a 14-season career, made two double bogeys and was not a factor. He shot a 76 and finished at 280.

Jack Nicklaus had a 75 for 283. He won $7,914 in tying for 24th place and his $4,984,804 leaves him just short of becoming the first golfer to reach $5 million in earnings.

Betsy King birdied the final hole to win the $300,000 Women’s Kemper Open at Princeville, Hawaii. Beth Daniel, who bogeyed the 18th after hitting her approach shot into the water, finished a shot back.

King, who collected $45,000 for the victory, shot a three-under-par 69 to finish at 280 over the 6,237-yard Princeville Makai course on the island of Kauai. Daniel, who had a one-shot lead going to the final hole, shot a final-round 73.

Tammie Green, last year’s LPGA Rookie of the Year, shot a 68 to finish in third at 282. Ayako Okamoto was fourth at 283 after a final-round 72.