GOLF ROUNDUP : Woosnam Gets First U.S. Win

Welshman Ian Woosnam ducked Jim Hallet and went on to gain his first American PGA title in a two-hole, sudden-death playoff Sunday at the USF&G; Classic at New Orleans.

Woosnam, a relatively unknown quantity to the casual American golf fan but a winner all over the world, said the victory should help him toward his ultimate goal--recognition as the best player in the game.

“They say you can’t have recognition as the best until you win in America,” he said after accomplishing that feat. “They say you can’t be the best in the world until you win a major.”

The 5-foot-4 1/2-inch Woosnam hopes to take care of that in the Masters at Augusta National next month.

Woosnam played the final round in five-under-par 67 for a 275 total.

Hallet, not yet a winner in a four-season American career, blew a three-stroke lead, then came from five strokes back. He capped the revival with a four-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 70 to force the playoff.

After he and Woosnam parred the first extra hole, Hallet dumped his tee shot into the left bunker on the par-three 17th hole.

Hallet sent his sand shot skipping over the cup and just missing the flagstick. When Hallet missed the par-saving putt, Woosnam’s two-putt par became the winner.

Tom Sieckmann took himself out of it when he hooked into the water and made double bogey on the final hole. Sieckmann, a runner-up last week, was third at 277 and was followed by John Huston at 278.

Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus never got in the title hunt over the last 18 holes. Watson shot 68 and tied for eighth at 280. Nicklaus finished seven strokes off the pace at 71-282.

Danielle Ammaccapane picked the right place for her first LPGA victory. The former Arizona State player shot a four-under-par 69 to take the $550,000 tournament at Phoenix by two strokes over Barb Bunkowsky and Meg Mallon.

Ammaccapane, who started the final round with a one-shot lead over Bunkowsky, Michelle McGann and Colleen Walker, finished at nine-under 283. She collected $82,500.

Mallon shot 67 and Bunkowsky 70 in the final round at the 6,514-yard Moon Valley Country Club course. Walker shot 73 to finish at 288.

McGann carded a 74 for a 289.

The previous best finishes for Ammaccapane, a Phoenix native, were two second-place ties last year.