GOLF ROUNDUP : Steinhauer Makes a Major Breakthrough

Sherri Steinhauer made her first victory in seven years on the LPGA Tour a big one, shooting a two-under-par 70 on Sunday for a two-stroke triumph in the du Maurier Classic, the last major on the women’s tour.

Steinhauer, who held at least a share of first place for two of the first three rounds at the St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg, Canada, took a one-shot advantage into the final 18 holes and quickly expanded it. She birdied the first two holes and second-place Judy Dickinson bogeyed No. 3, giving Steinhauer a four-stroke lead.

Dickinson got within a stroke of the leader by the 13th hole, but Steinhauer--playing before a gallery that included her parents--regained a three-shot cushion by No. 15 and held on for the victory, finishing at 11-under 277.

Steinhauer said an improved putting game was her biggest asset. She made four birdies, two with long putts of 25 and 15 feet, to win the $105,000 first prize.

“It’s incredible--I feel like I’m dreaming right now,” Steinhauer said after a sip of champagne. “It hasn’t sunk in. This is a wonderful feeling.

“For me to come out on top in a major is just a bonus.”

The $700,000 tournament is the last of the four majors on the women’s tour and the only LPGA event played in Canada.

Dickinson, who made four birdies in a final-round 71, said she did her best to catch Steinhauer.

“I tried to play the back nine solid, hoping she’d make a mistake,” said Dickinson, who took home $65,165. “But she had some great putts.”

Juli Inkster eagled the 16th by holing out from 168 yards and birdied No. 18 with a 16-foot putt to move up to third place.

George Archer led all the way despite a final-round 74 and won the inaugural Bruno’s Classic on the Senior PGA Tour by one stroke.

He started the final round at 10 under on the 6,992-yard Greystone Golf Club course at Birmingham, Ala., and finished eight-under 208 to take the $105,000 first-place money.

Jack Kiefer (70) and Rocky Thompson (72) tied for second at 209, one stroke ahead of Mike Hill, Dick Goetz and Kermit Zarley.

Archer, winner of two other tournaments this year, has won $506,552 in 1992 and $2.3 million on the senior tour since joining it in 1989.

The course, Archer said, was more difficult than on the first two days, when he shot 66 and 68, mainly because of greens that were reluctant to hold approach shots.

“It was hard to survive,” Archer said. “I wasn’t thinking birdies; I was just going for pars. It was the toughest round of golf I’ve played in a long time.”