PGA Seniors to Irwin; Roberts Wins Heritage

Hale Irwin, a tour rookie at age 50, landed his biggest senior victory yet.

Irwin shot a one-under-par 71 Sunday at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., to win the 57th annual PGA Seniors’ Championship without a serious challenge, his first major title on the tour.

His total of eight-under 280 at the PGA National Resort & Spa put him two strokes ahead of Japan’s Isao Aoki, who also closed with 71 for 282. Vicente Fernandez of Argentina had a 73 to finish at 284.

“This course is quite a test, especially when you’re not on top of everything,” Irwin said. “There’s a lot of potential for disaster on the back nine. It was almost like slow motion out there. I couldn’t get to the 18th fast enough.”

It was Irwin’s fourth senior victory in 10 1/2 months, and his second this year. Already the leading money winner on the tour, Irwin earned $198,000, raising his winnings for the year to $624,925.

The victory, on one of the tour’s most difficult courses, avenged Irwin’s loss in the season’s first senior major, two weeks ago at The Tradition in Arizona. That day, he squandered a three-stroke lead with eight holes to play to Jack Nicklaus.

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Loren Roberts, who took a three-shot lead into the final round of the MCI Heritage Classic at Hilton Head, S.C., won by three after shooting a safe and cozy 67.

Roberts slid in a 45-foot putt on the 18th hole to move to 19-under 265, three ahead of Mark O’Meara and one better than tournament record set by Hale Irwin two years ago.

Roberts used conservative shot-making and excellent putting to win his third PGA Tour title and the $252,000 first prize at Harbour Town Golf Links.

“I’ve never questioned my ability, but from 1992 to 1994 I was worried about my ability to win,” he said. “I had a couple of chances and didn’t. Once it started, though, I feel like the floodgates are open.”

The week ended poorly for Nick Faldo, who won the Masters last week. He was 14 shots behind Roberts, shooting only one sub-70 round.

Greg Norman finished at six-under 278 after managing a 68 on Sunday.

Norman said he would take the next five weeks off and return at the Memorial on May 30. He then headed to his 87-foot yacht docked at Harbour Town Marina.

Norman, who was heckled by a drunken spectator during the third round, was trailed by two South Carolina State Troopers and an agent from the State Law Enforcement Division on Sunday.

Of his collapse at the Masters the previous Sunday, Norman said the thousands of faxes and notes he has received have warmed him.

“It’s hard to explain unless you’ve been there,” Norman said.

Phil Mickelson, third at the Masters, shot a 74 and was at two-over 286. Mickelson said he’ll also take about five weeks off to relax and get ready for the U.S. Open in June.

Roberts came into the round four shots up on O’Meara, who never got closer than three strokes and ended at 16-under 268. Only Scott Hoch, at 14-under 270, broke into the two-man battle with a 66.

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Barb Mucha, forced to play 29 holes because of rain Saturday, closed with a two-under-par 70 to win the LPGA Chick-fil-A Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga., by two strokes.

Mucha finished with a three-round total of eight-under 208 for her fourth victory in 10 years on the tour.