1995 / 77th PGA RIVIERA : Riviera Turns Into Elkingtown : Golf: Australian charges to first major title with a final-round 64 and a birdie putt on the first playoff hole against Montgomerie.

How far behind is too far? Well, six shots on the final day of a major championship should be quite enough, but not for Steve Elkington, not on Sunday, not at Riviera Country Club, not in the PGA Championship.

Normally, if you’re half a dozen shots behind on the last day at Riviera, you’re lower than a weed in a barranca and harder to find than a parking space.

But by the time the late afternoon sun was filtering through the eucalyptus trees, there was Elkington hoisting the big silver trophy as the newest and, let’s be honest, most surprising PGA champion.

Elkington, a 32-year-old Australian who lives in Houston, shot a closing-round 64, came from six shots down to pass Ernie Els, then birdied the first playoff hole to defeat hard-luck Colin Montgomerie of Scotland and claim the first major title of his nine-year career.

“I played the round of my life,” Elkington said.

All this comes from a guy allergic to grass, which probably is at least as troublesome to a golfer as a bad slice.

But Elkington keeps his allergies under control with medication after undergoing a sinus operation last year. He also should try to keep that swing he used Sunday in his memory for a very long time.

“It was just perfect,” Elkington said.

Who are we to argue? Elkington’s 72-hole score of 267 was a PGA record and tied the lowest score in a major, equaling Greg Norman’s winning score in the 1993 British Open at Sandwich.

Elkington already had picked up four strokes when he made the turn, then birdied Nos. 10, 11 and 12 to take the lead from Els.

For Els, who began the final round with a three-shot lead, it was less than a good day. He spent so much time under the trees, he should have been a leaf. Els finished with a one-over-par 72 and tied for third at 269 with Jeff Maggert, who closed with a 69.

“I didn’t play a very great round of golf today,” Els said.

The end for Els came when he failed to birdie the par-five 11th and when his 12-foot putt for birdie on No. 16 did not fall. The ball did an entire circle around the cup, then spun out.

“That just took everything out of me,” Els said.

Meanwhile, Montgomerie was just getting started. By the time he got to the 16th tee, he was pretty sure he needed to finish birdie-birdie-birdie or they would be crying in their haggis back home in Glasgow.

So Montgomerie did just that. He hit an eight-iron to five feet and made it for a birdie on the 16th and chipped to four feet and made it for birdie on the par-five 17th.

Standing at the 18th tee and needing one more to force a playoff, he hit an eight-iron 20 feet right of the hole and rolled it in for a third consecutive birdie to catch Elkington.

Elkington was sitting in the scorer’s tent when Montgomerie’s putt disappeared. Elkington had the normal reaction.

“It’s a terrible feeling when someone makes a long putt to tie you,” he said.

The playoff hole was No. 18 again. Both Elkington and Montgomerie were on the green in two, with Elkington’s ball in just about the same location Montgomerie was on the last hole of regulation, but a little bit farther away at 25 feet.

He did a quick study, stood over it and knocked it straight into the bottom of the hole for birdie.

Maybe it was the putting tip Elkington got from Jackie Burke back in Houston after the British Open. Maybe it was the good-luck kiss he gave his infant daughter, Annie, before the playoff. Maybe it was merely his time to win, but that ball fell in and Elkington was a major winner.

“I wasn’t the next-best player not to win a major,” Elkington said. “I jumped over it and got one before you could name me the next best. I beat you to it.”

There still was one chance that he wouldn’t. Montgomerie could force a second playoff hole if he made a 20-footer. He backed off to collect his thoughts, then hit the putt, but he pushed it slightly and the ball rolled past on the right.

All he could do was shake hands with Elkington and wait for the next time. At least Montgomerie kept his playoff record perfect--0 for 5. He also lost to Els in a three-way playoff with Loren Roberts at the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

No one hit more greens than Montgomerie during the week. If only a few more putts had dropped--and if a few more of Elkington’s had jumped out--it might have been a different story.

“I did nothing wrong,” he said. “I had to make three birdies on the last three holes and managed that. I made par on the first [playoff] hole. He won the tournament. I did not lose the tournament. And there you go.”

There you go, indeed.

Elkington’s victory was his sixth on the PGA Tour and the $360,000 he picked up Sunday increases his career total to $4.3 million.

Then there is the distance factor. Only John Mahaffey came from farther behind to win the PGA. Mahaffey won the 1978 PGA at Oakmont after trailing Tom Watson by seven shots.

Elkington began the week ailing from a sinus infection he picked up at St. Andrews, where he tied for sixth. Because he didn’t feel too well this week, he slowed his pace, which worked in his favor.

It’s far easier to be the one doing the chasing to begin the last day of a major, Elkington said.

“Obviously the pressure’s off when you’re not in the lead,” he said.

“Ernie’s a great champion, but you can’t think he’s just going to walk away with it. I know he had to be dying today.”

In the meantime, Elkington plans to live it up. He is playing in Fred Couples’ pro-am in Seattle today and Tuesday, then he’s flying to Colorado for the International.

Elkington said he intends to carry the big silver PGA Wanamaker Trophy with him. He has some plans for it.

“We’re going to fill it up with champagne,” he said. “We’ll dive into it tonight, I think.”

Whatever he fills it with, he probably could walk on it.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

SCORES

267--$360,000

*Steve Elkington: 68-67-68-64

267--$216,000

Colin Montgomerie: 68-67-67-65

269--$116,000

Ernie Els: 66-65-66-72

Jeff Maggert: 66-69-65-69

271--$80,000

Brad Faxon: 70-67-71-63

* Won in sudden-death playoff

COVERAGE

COLIN MONTGOMERIE: After closing with three birdies to force a playoff, he comes up short (and inches right) in sudden death. C4

ERNIE ELS: Third-round leader blows chance at second major title with a one-over-par 72. C4

BRAD FAXON: Final round of 63 is good for a fifth-place finish and a spot on the Ryder Cup team. C5