GOLF ROUNDUP : O’Meara Gets Lucky and Wins

Mark O’Meara turned in one of his best finishes Saturday, but it was a little bit of luck that helped him win his first PGA tournament of the year at Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

O’Meara regained a share of the lead of the Walt Disney World Golf tournament on the par-4 ninth hole when his 178-yard, five-iron skipped into the cup for an eagle.

“Those are the things that have to happen in order to win a golf tournament,” he said. “You have to be a little bit lucky.

“That kind of gave me the boost and the charge I needed to get close to the leaders. Obviously the shot on No. 9 was the shot of the tournament.”

O’Meara shot a tournament-low 64 and prevailed by one shot, edging David Peoples for the $180,000 winner’s share of the $1-million purse.

O’Meara, who was able to spend the week at his home less than a half hour from the tournament site, had led after the first two rounds but was one stroke off the lead entering the final round.

Peoples, who grew up in the Orlando area, shot a 65 in the final round, but did not have a birdie over the last four holes.

Paul Azinger, who came into the final round with a one-stroke lead, shot a 67 and finished third, two shots behind, the fourth consecutive year he has finished in the top five here without a victory.

First-round co-leader Charles Coody shot a six-under-par 66 to take a two-stroke lead after two rounds of the Transamerica Senior Championship in Napa, Calif.

Coody’s 133 total after two rounds on the 6,630-yard Silverado Country Club south course put him ahead of Jim Colbert, who had a second-round 65. Dale Douglass, who started the day two over, had a tournament-record 63 to move within four strokes of Coody entering today’s final round. The previous low of 64 was set last year by Miller Barber.

First round co-leader Lee Trevino (70), Simon Hobday (68) and Mike Hill (67) were tied with Douglass at 137. DeWitt Weaver (69), Arnold Palmer (69) and George Archer (66) were another stroke back.

Douglass broke the course record when he made a two-foot birdie putt on No. 18 that rolled around the cup before dropping.

Four-time winner Seve Ballesteros ignored a painful right foot to defeat Billy Andrade, 3 and 2, in the semifinals of the World Match Play golf tournament in Virginia Water, England. He will play Nick Price, who defeated Nick Faldo, 5 and 3.

Ballesteros had two injections of painkillers before the match and said the foot hurt throughout the 36-hole semifinal.