Course Also Suits Elkington Just Fine

L.A. Times Archives

Oct. 5, 1998 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

What looked to be another victory for Fred Funk at the Mountain View course at Callaway Gardens at Pine Mountain, Ga., was spoiled by Steve Elkington.

Elkington, coming from four shots back in regulation Sunday, parred the first playoff hole of the Buick Challenge to defeat Funk in the $1.5-million tournament, which Funk had led since the first round.

The two were tied with a 13-under-par 267.

Funk, who won at Mountain View in 1995 and was the runner-up in 1996, had called the course one of his three favorite after his opening round 63 and because of his past success.

Elkington, however, likes the place too.

“I love coming here. I know how to play the course,” said the native of Australia who won here in 1994. By winning the playoff, he became only the third two-time winner in the tournament’s history (Hubert Green, 1975 and 1984; and Jerry Pate in 1977-78, when it was known as the Southern Open).

Elkington, sidelined for a month earlier this year because of viral meningitis, shot a five-under-par 65 to tie Funk, who had a 69 in the final round over the par 72, 7,057-yard hilly course.

“I think this course suits Fred because he’s a straight hitter, but that’s my strong suit as well,” said Elkington.

On the first playoff hole--the par-four, 432-yard 18th hole, Funk hit into a fairway bunker, 184 yards from the pin, and Elkington hit into the short rough about 150 yards from the pin.

Funk’s second shot hit the lip of the bunker and caromed into the fairway about 20 yards sideways, and his third shot landed in the deep rough, five yards off the green--all before Elkington’s second shot. Funk’s fourth shot landed eight feet beyond the pin.

Elkington’s second shot was in the middle of the green, and he calmly two-putted for his par and the ninth win of his career.

Bill Glasson shot a 69 and finished third at 268, one shot behind the leaders.

J.L. Lewis had a 68 and was another shot back at 269. Skip Kendall, who had the day’s best round with a 63, was next at 271.

Gil Morgan rallied from four shots back with a final-round five-under 65 to win the Senior PGA $1.5-million Vantage Championship at Clemmons, N.C..

Morgan’s 12-under 198 total allowed him to defeat Hale Irwin, who shot a 67, by one shot on the par-70, 6,600-yard Tanglewood Park championship course.

Morgan’s earned $225,000 and is tied Irwin, the tour’s leading money winner, with six wins apiece. Irwin, the first golfer to reach the $2 million mark in a season last year, is $580 short of the $2.5 million mark in 1998.

Morgan credited improved putting for the victory, his 13th on the tour--six more than his entire total on the PGA Tour over a 24-year span.

“I have been working on the path of my stroke and just trying to get it a little more down the line than I have been in the past,” said Morgan, who has now won $1.9 million this season. “Overall, I’ve had a lot of putts the last few weeks that were just burning the cup. Something was just a little bit off.”

It was the second major comeback win of the season for Morgan. He came from five shots back in February to win the LG Championship.

Jerry McGee, who started the day with a three-shot lead, tied for third with Tom Wargo, two shots back.

Wargo moved into contention with a third-round 64.

Wes Smith won the PGA Senior Club Professional Championship at West Palm Beach, Fla, by one stroke.

The 53-year-old teaching pro had a four-under-par 284 for the four rounds, a shot better than Tommy Price.

Lee Westwood of England defeated Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson in a playoff to win the Belgian Belgacom Open at Knokke.

Westwood, who shot a five-under 66, took the lead for the first time in the tournament on the 12th hole before Jacobson came back on the 17th with a birdie to force a playoff.

The two tied at 16-under 268 for 72 holes.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

SH Final Results

Top finishers on the major tours after Sunday’s final round of play (Complete scores, C14):

$1.5-MILLION BUICK

CHALLENGE--Par 72

*S. Elkington 66-70-66--65--267 -21

Fred Funk 63-67-69--69--267 -21

Bill Glasson 69-65-65--69--268 -20

J.L. Lewis 66-69-66--68--269 -19

Skip Kendall 71-70-67--63--271 -17

* won in playoff.