Golf Roundup : Sieckmann Gets Well With Victory in Playoff

Tom Sieckmann tapped in a two-foot putt for par on the second playoff hole to beat Mark Wiebe and win the the Anheuser-Busch tournament Sunday at Williamsburg, Va. It was Sieckmann’s first victory in four years on the Professional Golf Assn. Tour.

“I was happier than any time Jack Nicklaus was when he won one of his majors, because I’ve been a lot farther down than he ever was,” Sieckmann said.

After losing his playing card and having to return to qualifying school following the 1987 season, Sieckmann missed the cut in 13 of 16 previous tournaments he played in this year.

With the victory, Sieckmann received a two-year tour exemption and will be eligible for such prestigious events as the Masters.

Sieckmann, 33, who had $42,690 in winnings this season, picked up the $117,000 winner’s check.

In 1985, Wiebe got his first tour victory at Williamsburg, defeating John Mahaffey in a playoff. At the time, Wiebe was struggling to keep his playing card, and had been sent back to qualifying school so many times he lost count.

“I’m sorry for me,” Wiebe said, “but I’m real happy for Tom. That’s great. It’s fantastic. I kind of know what he feels like.”

On the second playoff hole, the 177-yard 17th, Sieckmann’s tee shot stopped about 20 feet from the hole in the fringe, and Wiebe flew his into the short rough about 30 feet past the hole.

Wiebe’s chip shot hit the cup and bounced away, stopping about six feet away. Sieckmann’s putt just missed the cup to the left and stopped two feet past the hole.

Wiebe missed his par putt, and Sieckmann, who has won seven tournaments overseas, stepped up and made his winning putt.

“I was almost thinking about quitting the game because I couldn’t, literally, make any putts,” Sieckmann said.

Wiebe and Sieckmann finished at 14-under-par 270. Wiebe closed with a 3-under-par 68 and Sieckmann a 69.

Gene Sauers, with a 66, was at 272 with Kenny Knox, who began the day tied for the lead at 12 under with Peter Jacobsen and Sieckmann. Knox closed with a 71.

At 273 were Jeff Sluman and defending champion Mark McCumber. Sluman had the day’s best round, a 64, and McCumber shot a 67.

Jacobsen, who lost last week’s Western Open with a double-bogey 6 on the 72nd hole, had only one bogey through the first 66 holes in this tournament before faltering again. Jacobsen bogeyed four of the last six holes and finished with a 73 and a 274 total.

He was joined at 10 under by Tim Simpson, Fuzzy Zoeller and Jeff Coston. Simpson shot a 65 in the final round, Coston had a 67 and Zoeller finished with a 70.

Terry-Jo Myers sank a 12-foot putt for par on the final hole to win the $400,000 Mayflower tournament at Indianapolis by one stroke over Ayako Okamoto and Amy Alcott.

Myers, who won for the first time in four professional seasons, shot an even-par 71 in the final round, which was halted three times by rain and lightning, to finish at 8-under-par 276.

Okamoto, the Japanese star who was seeking her third tournament title of the season, began the day tied with Myers for the lead, but lost a chance to force a playoff when she missed a 10-foot par putt on the 18th and finished with a 72.

Alcott, two strokes back after 54 holes, finished with a 70.

Bruce Crampton shot a 2-under-par 70 for a one-stroke victory over hometown favorite Don Bies and Australian Bruce Devlin in the $300,000 GTE Northwest Seniors tournament at Kenmore, Wash.

Crampton, 52, an Australian playing out of Dallas, birdied the second, third, 16th and 18th holes on the 6,501-yard suburban Inglewood Country Club course to finish at nine-under par and win $45,000.

Bies shot a 70, while Devlin eagled the 18th hole for a 69.

Andy Bean shot a 3-under-par 70 for a two-day total of 143 to win a $100,000 winner-take-all Belgian tournament by three strokes over Isao Aoki of Japan at Brussels, Belgium.

Bean was the only player in the eight-man invitational to better par in the final round at the 6,658-yard Royal Belgian Golf Club.

Aoki, who equaled par 73 two straight days for 146, edged Raymond Floyd by one stroke for second place. South African Gary Player also shot a 73 Sunday for a total of 148 to share fourth place with Chip Beck, who had a final-round 76.

Jack Nicklaus returned to a course he designed himself and shot a 13-over-par 85 in a special challenge match at the rain-soaked St. Mellion Golf and Country Club at Truro, England.

But atrocious weather conditions prevented Sandy Lyle of Scotland, Nick Faldo of Britain and Tom Watson from doing much better at the official opening of the $5.1 million complex.

Lyle of Scotland went round the 7,054-yard course in 84, while his partner Nick Faldo of Britain shot 78 to ensure a one-shot victory over Nicklaus and Watson, who also had a 78.