GOLF ROUNDUP : Murphy’s Aim Stays True for Senior PGA Victory

Is any golfer hotter than Bob Murphy?

Not likely.

Murphy won his second Senior PGA Tour title in three weeks Sunday, matching the tournament record in capturing the $550,000 Kaanapali Seniors Classic by two strokes in Kaanapali, Hawaii.

He finished the 54 holes with a five-under-par 66 and a three-day total of 195. Jim Colbert had a 195 in 1991.

“It was a pretty good week,” Murphy said. “I hate to say this because I don’t want people to take it the wrong way, but I won in Sacramento and played well in Los Angeles so I came in here with confidence. When the wind died, it played into my game.”

In his last 10 rounds of golf, Murphy has played nine-under 70. In the two tournaments before the Kaanapali, he finished first and tied for fourth.

Jack Kiefer made a challenge by shooting a 30 on the front nine Sunday, but Murphy took the lead for good when Kiefer bogeyed the 10th and Murphy birdied the 11th. No one got within two strokes after that.

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Bernhard Langer of Germany shot a one-under 70 to win the Volvo Masters at Sotogrande, Spain, by one shot when Seve Ballesteros bogeyed the final hole. Langer, who earned $204,000, finished with an eight-under 276. The victory helped him pass Spain’s Ballesteros and move into second place on the final European money list--worth a bonus of $135,500.

Ballesteros, with a 73, finished in a second-place tie with Vijay Singh of Fiji at 277. Singh’s 66 was the day’s low score.

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Michelle McGann and Donna Andrews each shot 66 as the United States won 11 of 18 individual matches against Japan to win the Nichirei International LPGA event in Ami, Japan, for the 10th consecutive time.

The final score was 22 1/2-13 1/2. The Americans led, 10 1/2-7 1/2, after the first two rounds--all pairs matches.