Archer Back in Swing With Win

L.A. Times Archives

Aug. 17, 1998 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

George Archer completed his long comeback from hip-replacement surgery with a record-setting, five-stroke victory Sunday in the Senior PGA’s First of America Classic at Ada, Mich.

Archer, 58, who had the operation in April 1996, tied the Egypt Valley Country Club course record with an eight-under-par 64 in the final round to finish the 54-hole tournament with a record 17-under 199.

He already had the tournament record, but the 199 he posted when he won the 1993 First of America Classic came at the shorter, par-71 Highlands course in nearby Grand Rapids.

Archer had not won on the Senior Tour since May 1995 when he won the Cadillac NFL Golf Classic.

He also is the first repeat winner of the First of America Classic.

He won by five strokes over Jim Dent and by six over second-round leader Bruce Summerhays, 1996 Classic champion Gil Morgan and first-round leader Jose Maria Canizares.

“I had set a goal of winning a tournament after the hip but a couple of weeks ago I asked myself what I was doing out here,” Archer said. “I said, ‘Why not go fishing?’ I never have a bad day fishing.”

Any notions Archer might have had of retiring were dispelled on Sunday.

“It is no fun to be out here when you don’t get in the hunt,” he said. “Today though, was unbelievable. All the exercise and everything I have done for the last two years paid off.”

Sherri Steinhauer, who shot an 81 in the opening round, surged to victory in the Women’s British Open with a closing-round 69 at Lytham St. Annes.

Steinhauer finished one stroke ahead of Brandie Burton and Sophie Gustafson on a windy, links course where no one could complete four rounds at par.

Steinhauer, of Madison, Wis., had a total of four-over 292 at Royal Lytham St. Annes. Burton, who shot a final-round 71, and Gustafson, who shot 70, were at 293.

Scotland’s Janice Moodie, the LPGA rookie who led by a stroke entering the final round, missed six six-foot putts in a round of 75 and finished fourth at 296.

She was trying to become the first British player to win the championship in seven years.

Steinhauer, who won the 1992 du Maurier Classic, earned $100,000. Her best previous finish this year was a share of fourth at the Rochester International.

Se Ri Pak, winner of four tournaments, including two majors, in her rookie season, finished 20-over at 308 after a final round of 77.

Grace Park, a sophomore at Arizona State, won the 94th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Ann Arbor, Mich., beating U.S. Women’s Open runner-up Jenny Chuasiriporn 7 and 6 in the 36-hole championship match.

Park, 19, who moved to Phoenix from South Korea seven years ago to develop her game, became the first player since Patty Berg in 1938 to sweep the United States’ major amateur women’s tournaments.

Park also won the Western Amateur and the Trans-National championships.

Later in the day, Chuasiriporn, Kellee Booth and Brenda Kuehn were named to the 1998 United States women’s world amateur team by the United States Golf Assn.

The team will compete in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship on Nov. 12-15 in Santiago, Chile.

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Final Results

Top finishers on the major tours after Sunday’s final rounds: (Complete scores, C11):

WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN--Par 72

Sherri Steinhauer: 81-72-70-69--292 (+4)

Sophie Gustafson: 78-71-74-70--293 (+5)

Brandie Burton: 71-74-77-71--293 (+5)

Janice Moodie: 75-72-72-75--294 (+6)

Next: Minnesota LPGA Classic.

FIRST OF AMERICA CLASSIC--Par 72

George Archer: 68-67-64--199 (-17)