Appleby Touched After Third Title

L.A. Times Archives

May 3, 1999 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Stuart Appleby is certain his wife was with him Sunday when he won the Shell Houston Open, his third career victory and the first since her death last year.

“She gave me the strength today,” the native of Australia said after his one-under-par 71 gave him a one-stroke victory over Hal Sutton and John Cook at The Woodlands, Texas. “It’s not just a golf game which makes you win a tournament.”

Appleby finished with a nine-under 279 total one day after his 28th birthday and the win was worth $450,000.

His wife, Renay, was killed last summer in a traffic accident outside a train station in London.

“She’s going to be with me forever no matter what I do,” said Appleby, who won the 1997 Honda Classic and 1998 Kemper Open.

Sutton, who held a two-shot lead going into the final round, bogeyed two of the final three holes for a three-over 75. Cook also finished at 280 following a closing 70.

“If somebody had to beat me, I was happy it was Stuart,” Sutton said. “He has been through a lot and I can certainly understand how much meaning this has for him.

“I’m sure there’s somebody smiling on him right now.”

Mark Wiebe, who had a final-round 73, was fourth at 282, while Loren Roberts and Vijay Singh were among five golfers another shot back.

Steve Elkington was being treated for viral meningitis, an illness that sidelined the PGA Tour player for a time last year.

Elkington, a 36-year-old Australian who attended the University of Houston and lives in Houston, withdrew Sunday from the Shell Houston Open. He went to a Houston hospital Saturday night complaining of severe headaches and remained there Sunday.

Larry Nelson made a one-foot par putt on the 18th hole to hang on for a one-stroke victory in the Bruno’s Memorial Classic seniors tournament in Hoover, Ala.

Nelson shot a four-under-par 68 to finish with an 11-under 205 total, one shot better than Dana Quigley.

Gil Morgan bogeyed No. 18 and his final-round 68 left him at 207.

Nelson had started the day tied with Joe Inman for the lead.

Rachel Hetherington is showing Australian women’s golf isn’t all about Karrie Webb.

Hetherington shot a four-under-par 68 for a seven-under 137 total at Murrells Inlet, S.C., and survived a final-round shootout to win the rain-shortened LPGA City of Hope Myrtle Beach Classic, her second straight tour victory.

Hetherington, who won last week’s Chik-fil-A Charity Championship, finished with a 7-under 137 total at Wachesaw East Golf Club. Then she waited more than an hour, but Leta Lindley, Helen Alfredsson and Donna Andrews couldn’t catch her.

Scotland’s Dean Robertson shot a final-round 68 to move to 17-under-par to beat Padraig Harrington by one stroke at Turin, Italy to capture the Italian Open for the first European PGA Tour title of his career.

Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal fired a 66, his best round of the week, to finish in 13th place at 12-under.

Lee Janzen, getting set to defend his U.S. Open title, managed a 74 to close in 66th place at one-under.

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Final Scores

Top scores after Sunday’s final round (Complete scores, Page 15):

$2.5-MILLION PGA

HOUSTON OPEN--Par 72

S. Appleby 70-68-70-71--279 -9

John Cook 68-74-68-70--280 -8

Hal Sutton 68-68-69-75--280 -8

Mark Wiebe 69-69-71-73--282 -6

$1.2-MILLION BRUNO’S