Big Comeback by Leonard Is Worth a Victory

For the third time in less than a year, Justin Leonard came from five strokes off the pace to win, shooting a closing round 67 on the Stadium Course to top Tom Lehman and Glen Day by two strokes at The Players Championship at Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

“There wasn’t a lot of pressure on me, being five back,” Leonard said after claiming the $720,000 first prize. “I’m a member here and I got a lot of member bounces.”

Leonard, 25, has four victories on the PGA Tour, including his win at the British Open last year.

“It’s a lot of fun to be able to shoot a great round on Sunday,” he said. “Sometimes you get so involved in shooting low that you forget about winning the tournament.”

Starting his day with a 10-foot eagle putt on No. 2, Leonard surged into the lead with five birdies in seven holes beginning on No. 9. “Right there in the middle of the round I got hot,” he said.

Leonard finished at 10-under 278. Lehman, who closed with a 68, was at 280, along with Day, who had a 71. Third-round leader Lee Janzen shot a 79 and finished seven strokes behind Leonard.

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Lee Trevino won his first title since 1996, taking the $1-million Southwestern Bell Dominion PGA Senior Tour tournament at San Antonio by two strokes.

Trevino, 58, shot a five-under-par 67 to finish at 11-under 205 on the par-72, 6,835-yard Dominion Country Club course.

It was his 28th Senior Tour title overall, best on the circuit and one more than he had won on the PGA tour.

Trevino earned $150,000 for the victory. Mike McCullough finished second after making seven birdies in his round of 67.

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Hitting the Jackpot

Largest purses on the PGA Tour: *--*

Tournament Purse Winner’s Share Players Championship $4,000,000 $720,000 Tour Championship $4,000,000 $720,000 Masters $2,700,000 $486,000 PGA Championship $2,600,000 $470,000 U.S. Open $2,600,000 $465,000 Phoenix Open $2,500,000 $450,000 Pebble Beach $2,500,000 $450,000 Byron Nelson Classic $2,500,000 $450,000

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