GOLF ROUNDUP : Eagle on 16 Helps Lietzke Win Las Vegas Invitational

Veteran Bruce Lietzke, 43, scored a one-stroke victory Sunday in the $1.5-million Las Vegas Invitational and earned a place in next week’s season-ending $3-million Tour Championship in San Francisco.

Lietzke shot a closing seven-under-par 65 on the TPC at Summerlin, for a 332 total, 27 under in the five-day, 90-hole event.

The 13th victory of his 20-year career was secured on a 232-yard two-iron shot on the 560-yard, par-five 16th. It landed about four feet from the cup, set up the go-ahead eagle and was worth $270,000, more than doubling Lietzke’s earnings for the year to $483,926.

Robert Gamez, a 26-year-old Las Vegas resident, came up short as his five-birdie finish led to a final-round 64, and a 333 total.

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Brian Watts, the 1987 U.S. collegiate champion, shook off a bogey at the first hole and a double-bogey at the 11th and won the $1.2-million Bridgestone Open by three strokes at Chiba, Japan.

Watts shot a par 72 in the final round for a 72-hole total of 14-under 274, scoring his fourth victory of the season in Japan. He earned $216,000.

Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 British Open champion, fired the day’s best score, a six-under 66, and finished second at 277. Australian Roger Mackay shot a 68 for 278 and was third.

Nick Price, the 1994 British Open and U.S. PGA champion, finished in a fourth-place tie at 279 after a closing 70 over the 7,110-yard Sodegaura Country Club course.

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The United States dominated Sunday’s singles play to avenge the stunning defeat of 1992 and reclaim the Solheim Cup with a 13-7 victory over Europe in the women’s match play team competition at White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The U.S. team won eight of 10 singles matches at The Greenbrier to break what had been a 5-5 deadlock.

The victory means that the crystal trophy, which Mickey Walker’s European team won in a 1992 upset victory at the Dalmahoy Golf and Country Club, will remain in the United States until the two sides meet again in Wales in 1996.