GOLF ROUNDUP : Springer Wins Greensboro by Three Shots Despite a 72

Mike Springer led the Greater Greensboro (N.C.) Open from start to finish, but he didn’t make it easy on himself during Sunday’s final round.

He closed with a par 72 for a total of 13-under 275 and his first tour victory. He finished three shots ahead of Ed Humenik, Brad Bryant and Hale Irwin.

Springer became the first to lead all the way since Tom Weiskopf in 1975.

“Tough day today,” Springer said. “I had some problems with the putter. I hit a lot of good putts. They just wouldn’t go in the hole. They kept lipping out.”

Irwin was the biggest threat--and the biggest disappointment.

Irwin sealed his fate on 18. His second shot went over the green and rolled down the hill behind it. His chip shot tangled in the deep rough and his shot to save par was short.

“I made some mistakes early and I couldn’t get out of my own way,” said Irwin, who was looking for his second consecutive victory on the tour.

At 17, Springer saw Irwin’s bogey at 18 go up on the leader board. Springer was on the green, needing a short putt for par.

“I figured if I could squeeze that thing in there and get a good shot in the fairway on 18, then it’s my tournament,” Springer said.

He did both, padding his victory with a birdie at 18 and earning $270,000.

Bob Lohr was alone in fifth place at 279 after a 69. John Morse and Donnie Hammond were at 280.

Rocco Mediate, last year’s champion, did not play in the tournament because of a back injury.

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Larry Gilbert closed with a three-under 67 and rallied from three shots behind to win the Reunion Pro-Am in Dallas by a stroke, his first victory in two years on the Senior PGA Tour.

Gilbert finished at eight-under 202 on the wind-swept Oak Cliff Country Club course.

Gilbert hit an eight-iron to within a foot of the cup at par-3 No. 17 to break a three-way tie with George Archer and Rocky Thompson.

“I’m still in shock,” Gilbert said after winning $75,000. “It was the best shot I ever made under pressure.”

Gilbert rolled in his birdie putt about the same moment Thompson was taking a bogey at par-4 No. 16. There, he hit a tree and overshot the green before leaving a 10-foot putt on the lip of the cup.

He and Archer shared second at 203. Both had closing 68s.

“I just (blew) it,” Thompson said with a shrug. “Ain’t no doubt about it.”