Azinger’s Day at the Beach Ends With a Four-Stroke Win

Paul Azinger said Sunday that every year he plays in the AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am he swears that he’ll never come back.

He’ll be coming back for sure next year, though--as the defending champion.

Azinger, who has been frustrated on the Monterey Peninsula courses in the past, shot a five-under-par 67 at Pebble Beach to win the tournament by four strokes.

He had a 72-hole total of 14-under-par 274 and earned $198,000 for his victory, his seventh on the tour.

Once again, it was a disappointing finish for Rocco Mediate. He had a one-stroke lead over Davis Love III and a two-shot advantage over Azinger and John Cook going into the final round.

However, he faltered to a two-over-par 74 to finish in a three-way tie for fourth at 279 with Love and Mike Smith. It was reminiscent of his 77 in the final round last year when he was only one shot off the lead heading into the final 18 holes.

Brian Claar and former UCLA star Corey Pavin finished in a tie for second, each earning $96,800.

Azinger started fast with an eagle on the par-five second hole and he had the lead outright after he birdied the par-four fourth hole.

Then Azinger left little doubt that he would win the tournament when he birdied the par-three 17th hole, while Love was bogeying the par-four 16th.

Azinger’s two-shot lead over Love was increased to four and it was just a victory walk up the 18th fairway for the 31-year-old pro from Bradenton, Fla.

“If I were to list tournaments on a priority that I expected to win, this would probably be dead last because of past accomplishments here,” Azinger said.

Azinger estimated that he has only broken 70 a couple of times here since he began playing in the tournament in 1984 until this year.

So why did come back time and again?

“It’s a prestigious place,” he said. “There’s a lot of history here. It will always be the (Bing) Crosby in a lot of people’s minds.”

Azinger said he also had somber thoughts while he was playing.

“I was thinking about the troops all day. George Bush made it a national day of prayer for the troops. It really puts things in perspective for you. I was kind of nervous playing in a golf tournament and, at the same time, I’m thinking about those guys over there and what they’re trying to accomplish, putting their lives on the line.”

Azinger credited his caddie, Billy Poore, for providing him with the exact yardage to the pin on some holes.

He smiled and said, “Billy Poore is the opposite of what he is right now,” referring to the caddy’s share of Azinger’s purse.

Azinger said he has been mystified by the greens in the past, contributing to his lack of success. He also said he learned more about his golf swing last week, making some adjustments.

“I was making it too complicated. It’s really not that hard,” he said. “Just grip it strong, grip, grip it wrong, hit it long.”

It was a relatively easy win for Azinger and he said when he walked off the 10th green he knew where he stood and just wanted to make pars the rest of the way.

As it was, he birdied the par-fourth 13th hole with a 15-foot putt and then hit a five iron to within two feet of the cup on the 185-yard par-three 17th, where he almost missed his birdie putt.

Azinger had a bogey-free round highlighted by his eagle on the par-five, 502-yard second hole when he hit a three wood to within nine feet of the cup.

“I don’t like to watch the scoreboard, but everywhere you looked there was one,” he said. “I’d rather mind my own business and not pay attention to what the other guys are doing.”

Azinger said he was at the peak of his frustration after finishing in a tie for 56th a week ago at Phoenix.

“I was down on myself. Now I’m thrilled,” he said. “The sky is the limit.”

Azinger said he has had a hard time getting started in previous tournaments this year.

“It seems I’m usually one or two over after five holes and to be three under after four here was really a big turnaround,” he said.

Azinger said he won’t play in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic next week in Palm Desert, but intends to play in the Nissan Los Angeles Open Feb. 21-24 at the Riviera Country Club.

Pavin charged up the leader board Sunday in calm, clear weather with a 67, making five birdies.

“Sundays have been difficult for me,” Pavin said. “I may have shot 67 at Pebble before, but never better.”

Pavin slumped in 1988 and 1989 when he was 50th and 82nd on the money winning list, respectively.

However, he climbed to 26th last year and is optimistic about his game. “I feel I’m a better player now than I have been,” he said.

Golf Notes

Mike Smith, who has yet to win on the tour in 11 years and has had to go to qualifying school four times to remain active, shot a 65, the low round of the day to tie for fourth. . . . “I didn’t feel particularly good going out and I didn’t hit the ball very well on the practice tee,” said the 40-year-old player from Selma, Ala. However, three birdies on his first four holes changed his assessment of how he was going to play. . . . Smith said it was probably his best round considering where he was playing, rating it even better than a 61 he once recorded at the Quad-Cities tournament. Smith said he’s awe-struck by the beauty of Pebble Beach, adding he hasn’t played particularly well here previously. “I’m just a 40-year-old with a bad back, just an average guy trying to make a living out here,” he said.

Jack Wagner, a star of the TV soap opera “General Hospital,” teamed with John Cook to win the pro-am event at 33-under-par 255. Wagner is a two-time club champion at Bel-Air Country Club. . . . Paul Azinger has now won a tournament in each of the past five years, the best current streak on the PGA Tour.