GOLF ROUNDUP : Couples Edges Faldo, U.S. Wins Another Cup

After winning the Ryder Cup for nothing, the United States triumphed three weeks later in another team golf tournament. This time the payoff was $450,000.

The U.S. trio of John Daly, Fred Couples and Payne Stewart edged defending champion England on Sunday to win the $1.5-million Dunhill Cup at St. Andrew’s, Scotland.

Although Stewart shot a 74 to lose by four shots to Mark James, Couples carded a 68 to edge Nick Faldo by a stroke and Daly defeated Peter Baker, 70-73.

Earlier Sunday, the U.S. trio defeated Sweden in the semifinal, despite Stewart losing to Jesper Parnevik.

In the nine years of the Dunhill Cup, the Americans had won only once, when Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Kite and Curtis Strange beat Japan in 1989.

*

Dottie Mochrie shot par-72 and took advantage of a final-hole mistake by Donna Andrews for a two-shot victory in the World Championship of Women’s Golf at Naples, Fla.

Mochrie’s four-day total of five-under 283 at the Naples National Golf Club earned her $102,000.

Two strokes back were Andrews, Michelle McGann, Sherri Steinhauer and Meg Mallon.

Andrews, who shot 69 Sunday, was at five under after 17 holes. But on the 18th, she put her second shot in a swamp and took double-bogey seven.

That left Mochrie needing only a par on the final hole to win. Instead, she made a 20-foot birdie putt.

“There is a sense of relief like you can’t imagine,” said Mochrie, the 1992 player of the year who had been winless in 1993. “This year has been very frustrating. I’ve been in two playoffs, and to be in the same position over and over is tough. It feels good to win.”

*

Jay Haas, who birdied the last hole of regulation to force a playoff, sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to beat Bob Lohr and win the $1-million Texas Open at San Antonio.

Haas birdied both playoff holes for his ninth victory in 17 seasons on the PGA Tour.

“On this course and the way we were playing, I thought I was going to have to birdie ‘til dark to win,” Haas said.

Haas, who won this tournament in 1982, earned $180,000.

Haas and Lohr each had a seven-under-par 64 over the final round, completing 72 holes at Oak Hill Country Club at 21-under 263.

*

George Archer birdied the 18th hole to break a three-way tie and win the $600,000 Raley’s Senior Gold Rush at Rancho Murieta, Calif.

Archer’s three-foot putt gave him a four-under-par 68 and moved him to 14-under 202 for the 54-hole tournament, one stroke better than Bob Charles and Chi Chi Rodriguez.

Archer earned $90,000 with the victory, his third on the Senior PGA Tour this year and his third Gold Rush title.