GOLF HERITAGE TOURNAMENT : Payne Stewart Wins 3-Way Playoff

Payne Stewart’s putter wasn’t working all day, until he needed it most.

Stewart birdied both playoff holes to beat Larry Mize and Steve Jones Sunday and become the first golfer to win the $1-million Heritage tournament two consecutive years.

“I didn’t make any putts all day long and then, all of a sudden, boom, boom,” Stewart said.

“It’s very special. I’m very pleased with the way I played.”

Stewart, who started the day two strokes in front, nearly had a hole-in-one on No. 17, the first playoff hole. Mize made an eight-foot birdie putt before Stewart tapped in. Jones dropped out after hitting an errant tee shot that left him with no chance for a birdie.

Stewart, who struggled to an even-par 71, won the tournament with a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-four, 484-yard 18th. Mize barely missed a 20-foot putt for birdie, giving Stewart his first playoff victory in six tries.

Mize is one for two in playoffs, winning the 1987 Masters.

Stewart, Mize and Jones finished regulation at eight-under-par 276 at the 6,657-yard Town Golf Links. Stewart picked up $180,000 for his first PGA Tour victory this year and sixth overall.

Jones and Stewart, playing in the final twosome, both had a chance to win on the 18th, but missed birdie opportunities. Stewart’s 17-foot putt slid by the hole, then Jones pulled his four-footer.

Mize, playing three twosomes in front of Stewart and Jones, birdied the final two holes to earn his spot in the playoff--the first at the Heritage since 1985.

Jones shot a 69 with three birdies and one bogey. Mize, who was five strokes down after three rounds, had a 66. He had eight birdies but stumbled to a double-bogey on the 14th after bogeying the 13th.

Then Mize got hot, making birdies on three of the final four holes.

Greg Norman, the 1988 Heritage champion, finished at 277 with Steve Pate. Both Norman, who had a 70, and Pate, who shot 68, had a chance to get into the playoff.

Norman’s approach at 18 found the rough. Using a sand wedge, Norman lifted his birdie attempt onto the green and it rolled dead an inch from the hole. As the shot came up short, Norman fell back on the grass in disbelief.

Pate had a birdie putt lip out on the 17th.

Andy Bean shot a final-round 67 to finish at 278. Gene Sauers, with a 69, and Loren Roberts, following a 71, were at 279.

Dave Edwards, who started the day at two-over-par, shot a 65, the best round of the tournament. Edwards had seven birdies and one bogey to finish at 280, along with seven others, including Tom Kite and Calvin Peete.