GOLF ROUNDUP : Stadler Wins to End Seven-Year Drought

The frustration is over for Craig Stadler.

Without a PGA Tour victory in seven seasons, the burly Stadler ended the drought with a birdie on the second playoff hole Sunday to beat Russ Cochran in the season-ending Tour Championship at Pinehurst, N.C.

“You spend so much energy to accomplish something for so many years that when it happens there’s not even the element of emotion,” Stadler said.

Don’t feel too sorry for the 38-year-old Stadler. He won $360,000 on Sunday to boost his 1991 earnings to $827,628, second to Corey Pavin. The victory also moved him past the $4-million earnings mark in his 16 years on the tour.

Stadler and Cochran tied after 72 holes at five-under-par 279 on the famed No. 2 course at Pinehurst. Each played the last round of the last official event of the season in par 71.

On the first playoff hole, each made a two-putt birdie-4. On the par-three 17th, Stadler hit to within about eight feet of the hole, then flipped his club to his caddy with a gesture commonly interpreted as, “OK, match that, buddy.”

Cochran had little chance to match it.

Cochran complained that on his backswing, “somebody was jumping around in the bleachers.”

“It unnerved me,” he said. “The timing of it. I felt like an opportunity had been taken away.”

He flinched on the shot and left the ball 15 yards short of the green, chipped to about five feet and left it there when Stadler birdied for the victory.

“I’m shell-shocked more than anything,” Stadler said. “It’s been a long time. I’ve won a couple of foreign events, but that doesn’t do it. To win again on this tour . . . “

Fred Couples, meanwhile, dropped behind Stadler into third on the money-winning list, a spot he needed to keep in order to tie Pavin on the points list that determines the PGA’s player of the year.

Pavin won both points titles despite a final-round 72 for a 10th-place tie at 287.

Pavin ended up leading the money list with $979,430, the first time in four seasons the leader did not go over $1 million.

Couples, third going into Sunday’s final round, went five over par on his first five holes, struggled to a 78 and finished at 289, nine shots out of the playoff.

He finished two points back of Pavin in the player of the year standings (58-56) and was third in money-winnings at $791,750.

PGA champion John Daly was the only member of the 30-man field who broke par in the final round and finished third at 282. He birdied two of the last three holes for a 70.

Anders Forsbrand and Per-Ulrik Johansson of Sweden came from behind in the final round to edge Ian Woosnam and Philip Price of Wales by a single stroke and win the World Cup of Golf at Rome.

Woosnam shot a five-under 67 and won the individual title with a 273. Bernhard Langer of Germany finished second, three strokes back. He, too, shot a closing round 67.

Forsbrand was third with a 278, but it was his 68 in the final round that pushed Sweden to victory. Johansson had a 71 and the team had a four-round total of 563.