Advertisement

GOLF ROUNDUP : Twelve Years Later, Roberts Finally Wins a Tournament

Share via
From Associated Press

In his 13th year on the PGA Tour, Loren Roberts sat in the clubhouse Sunday while the rest of the field of the Nestle Invitational lifted a burden from his back.

Roberts shot a five-under-par 67 Sunday for a four-round total of 13-under 275 at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club in Orlando, Fla., and won after Fuzzy Zoeller and Vijay Singh faltered on the final round.

The victory was worth $216,000 and much more. At day’s end, Roberts was no longer the golfer who had won the most money on the tour without winning a tournament.

Advertisement

“It means getting that big onus off my back,” he said. “I’ve been out here 12 years and made a lot of money. But that doesn’t cut it out here. You’re just a day laborer until you win.”

Zoeller (69) and and Singh (71) shared second at 276 with Nick Price, a winner last week in the Honda Classic. Price (70) had a chance to tie Roberts, but missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Roberts, 38, of Memphis, Tenn., was in the clubhouse while first Zoeller and then Singh blew a lead over the last two holes.

Advertisement

Zoeller self-destructed, pushing a three-iron shot into the gallery and off the bald head of a spectator and into the water on the par-three 17th hole.

“It had ugly written all over it,” Zoeller said.

Singh bogeyed the 17th and 18th holes to hand the title to Roberts.

*

Laura Davies shot an error-free three-under-par 70 to win the Standard Register Ping tournament at Phoenix with a 15-under-par 277.

Advertisement