Doyle Makes Record Debut in Seniors’ Championship

On the day Wayne Gretzky retired, it was fitting that Allen Doyle made PGA Seniors’ Championship history Sunday.

Doyle, using the short, quick swing developed in his college hockey days, won the 60th PGA Seniors’ Championship on his first try by overcoming a four-shot deficit with the best final round in tournament history at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Doyle made nine birdies and an eagle on the way to an eight-under 64. That gave him a four-day total of 14-under 274, two strokes better than Argentina’s Vicente Fernandez.

“That’s something. It was a great, great day today. I don’t know what to say,” said Doyle, 50, a Senior PGA Tour neophyte who didn’t turn professional until age 47.

Doyle, owner of a golf center in LaGrange, Ga., spent one season on the Nike Tour and two on the PGA Tour before joining the senior circuit late last year. The former Norwich University hockey player became the 18th golfer to win in his PGA Seniors’ Championship debut.

Doyle’s swing would make most golf teachers cringe. He takes a backswing less than half that of most pros, and there’s nothing leisurely about it. He acknowledges it’s something like a hockey motion, even though he hasn’t played since 1971.

He proved that as he tore up the PGA National Golf Club, besting the previous final-day record of 65 by Tom Wargo in 1994.

Hale Irwin, denied a chance at a history-making fourth consecutive PGA Seniors’ Championship, shot 69 to finish tied for 11th at 283.

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After posting a 10-under 274 at the MCI Classic at Hilton Head Island, S.C., Glen Day waited 90 minutes then went back on the course for a 19th hole.

Day then rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Payne Stewart and Jeff Sluman and earn his first PGA Tour victory.

Stewart missed an 18-foot birdie putt to extend the playoff.

Day, in his sixth season on the tour, started 10 groups ahead of the leaders in the final round and shot a five-under 66.

Tennis

Monica Seles surged through the first set in 16 minutes and went on to defeat Iva Majoli, 6-0, 6-3, clinching a spot in Fed Cup semifinals for the United States with a 5-0 sweep over Croatia at Raleigh, N.C.

The Americans will play in Italy in July in the second round. Italy defeated defending champion Spain this weekend.

Seles, the world’s No. 3 player, was exceptional, winning in 42 minutes and giving the Americans an unbeatable 3-0 lead. The United States won the following two matches to complete the sweep.

Chanda Rubin, who defeated Majoli on Saturday, followed Seles with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Silvija Talaja.

In other Fed Cup quarterfinals in World Group I: Russia 3, France 2; Italy 3, Spain 2; and Slovakia 5, Switzerland 0.

Amy Frazier won the Japan Open for the second time with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over defending champion Ai Sugiyama at Tokyo.

Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer won the men’s championship by defeating South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5. It was the second title of his career.

Felix Mantilla used a strong baseline game in front of his home crowd to defeat Morocco’s Karim Alami, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-3, and win the Conde de Godo Open at Barcelona, Spain.

Miscellany

USC’s Justin Dumais teamed with Mark Ruiz, competing in his hometown, to win the men’s synchronized platform title in the final day at the U.S. Spring National Diving Championships at Orlando, Fla.

Erica Sorgi, 16, of Mission Viejo, won her second individual title in as many days, following her triumph in the 3-meter with a first-place finish in the platform event.

Ruiz also earned individual victories in the 1-meter, 3-meter, and platform events, becoming the first diver to achieve that feat since Greg Louganis in 1988.

Bob Beamon, 52, whose winning long jump at the 1968 Olympics stood as the world record for 23 years, was chosen to launch a track and field program at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla.

Florida Atlantic will field its first women’s track team next spring, with the men’s program to follow in 2001.

Wide receiver Rod Perry Jr. said he will transfer to Penn State to continue his football career. Perry originally signed with USC, but never played because of a knee injury and transferred to Cal State Fullerton to pursue a baseball career before deciding to leave this season. Perry, who will be eligible to play immediately, has three years of eligibility remaining.

Jason Kreis scored two goals, including the game-winner with 35 seconds to play, to give the Dallas Burn a 2-1 MLS victory over the Tampa Bay Mutiny before 13,697 at Dallas.