GOLF ROUNDUP : U.S. Overtakes Swedes With Birdie-Birdie Finish

Fred Couples looked down the 18th fairway and noticed an opening no one else could see.

Then Couples and Davis Love III sank birdie putts on the 18th green to give the United States a one-shot victory over defending champion Sweden Sunday in the World Cup of Golf at Madrid, Spain.

It was a heartbreaking setback for the Swedes, who went ahead by two shots when Per-Ulrik Johansson, who shot a 65, knocked in a 45-foot putt for an eagle on the par-five 16th hole.

The putt offset a bogey by Anders Forsbrand, who had a 70, and a birdie by Couples, who matched Johansson’s 65.

Love hit a seven-iron to within five feet for a birdie on the par-three 17th, reducing the Swedish margin to one, then nailed a pitching wedge to within 16 feet on the par-four 18th, while Couples hit a wedge to within two feet.

After Love made his putt, Johansson missed for birdie from seven feet. Forsbrand saved par from a bunker.

“I said to Davis on the 18th tee that we could still win this because Forsbrand, I thought, did not have a good shot from the rough after the drive,” Couples said.

“After Davis ran in the putt on 18, the pressure was on Johansson, who was, in effect, putting for the tournament. But he didn’t lose it, and he played a great round--we won it with our two birdies.”

Love, who finished with a 70, and Couples shared the first prize of $240,000 from the total purse of $1.1 million. The Americans finished with a four-round, 28-under par total of 548, Couples with a 16-under-par 272 and Love at 276.

Ian Woosnam of Wales and Brett Ogle of Australia tied for low individual score at 270, but Ogle birdied the first playoff hole to collect the $75,000 first prize.

Betsy King’s birdie beat rookie Helen Alfredsson on the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the $650,000 Mazda Japan Classic, the final LPGA tournament this season, at Hanno, Japan.

After King sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the fourth extra hole, Alfredsson missed a two-footer.

King birdied the final two holes for a five-under-par 67 to catch Alfredsson, who bogeyed two of the last four holes for a 71.

Alice Ritzman finished one shot back at 206 after shooting 70.

Chi Chi Rodriguez, ahead by one stroke at the start of the final round, birdied the first hole and cruised to an easy victory in the inaugural Senior Invitational at the Ko Olina Resort in Honolulu.

Rodriguez played a strong round under tough conditions to finish with at three-under-par 69. He closed the tournament at 10-under 206, after shooting a 69 Friday and a 68 Saturday. It was his first victory in more than 18 months.

Don Pooley blew most of an eight-shot lead before settling for a three-over-par 75 and a one-stroke victory over Gil Morgan in the Amoco-Centel Championship for players between 40 and 50 years old at Mount Pleasant, S.C.