Irwin Wins Again, but It’s No Breeze in Strong Wind

Hale Irwin is used to running away with tournaments. On Sunday, he nearly let one get away.

Irwin, usually at his best when he’s in front, blew almost all of a six-shot lead before steadying himself on the back nine to win the Las Vegas Senior Classic by a shot over Vicente Fernandez.

It was the second consecutive win for Irwin, and his third in seven tournaments on the Senior PGA Tour this year. It was also his second Las Vegas title in a row.

But, unlike last week when he won the PGA Seniors’ Championship by seven shots, this time Irwin let the field back into the tournament on the final windswept day at the TPC Summerlin course.

Irwin shot a four-over-par 40 on the front side as his lead dwindled to a shot, before recovering with a solid final nine for a three-over 75 to win the $210,000 first prize.

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Trevor Dodds parred the first playoff hole to become another comeback winner at the Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic, edging Scott Verplank for his first PGA Tour victory.

Dodds, who battled testicular cancer last season while playing the NIKE Tour, became the 15th different winner this season in as many PGA Tour events.

Dodds, who shot a final-round 69 for a 12-under 276 total, trailed by two shots as he stood on the 18th tee. He almost holed his approach shot and birdied one the course’s toughest holes for the fourth day in a row to move one behind leader Bob Estes at the time.

Estes missed two par-saving five-footers on the final two holes and Verplank birdied 18 with a 30-foot putt to force the playoff.

On the playoff hole, Verplank hit his drive in the deep right rough and could only get within 60 yards of the green with his second shot. He two-putted for bogey.

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Liselotte Neumann cruised to a three-shot victory at the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship at Stockbridge, Ga. The only time the Swedish golfer was in trouble was when he lead dwindled to one after she bogeyed No. 4. But she birdied the next hole, shot a two-under-par 70 and got her 12th victory.