Franco Wins One for Paraguay

It’s party time in Paraguay.

The South American country threw a parade for Carlos Franco when he tied for sixth at the Masters, so you can imagine what they’ll do now that he’s won a PGA tournament.

“They have probably already started to celebrate,” Franco said after shooting a final-round, six-under-par 66 for his first win on the PGA Tour, a two-shot victory in the $2.6 million Compaq Classic Sunday at New Orleans.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll get a parade, maybe more than that.”

Franco, who made his first national impression by holding a brief first-round lead in the Masters, finished with a 19-under 269 to beat Harrison Frazar and Steve Flesch and take home the winner’s prize of $468,000.

That’s quite an accomplishment for the 33-year-old Franco, who grew up in poverty so humbling his family of nine shared food while sitting on the dirt floor of a one-room shack.

“This has been the biggest week of my life,” Franco said.

Franco’s score was seven shots off the tournament record, but was three strokes better than the record for the 7,106-yard, par-72 English Turn course of 16-under set by Brad Faxon in 1997. Franco’s final round included seven birdies and one bogey.

Eric Booker, Craig Barlow and Dennis Paulson all finished at 15-under 273.

The best round of the day was Robert Allenby’s 64.

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Hale Irwin, the Senior PGA Tour player of the year the past two seasons, ended a six-month drought by knocking in a 74-yard sand-wedge shot for an eagle on No. 18 to win the Nationwide Championship at Alpharetta, Ga., by two strokes over Bob Murphy.

Irwin, who had won 16 times in 1997-98, shot a 69 for a 10-under-par 206 to edge Murphy, who shot a final round 68 over the par-72, 6,885-yard Golf Club of Georgia course.

Irwin had finished second in three of the last four years and third in 1996.

After his eagle on the par-five, 533-yard hole fell in the cup, Irwin raced toward the ropes alongside the 18th green and exchanged high-fives with spectators, reminiscent of 1990 when he won the U.S. Open at Medinah in suburban Chicago.

Irwin held a two-stroke lead over Masters champion Jose Maria Canizares and Allen Doyle entering the final round, but was caught and passed when Murphy, playing one group ahead of him, birdied No. 15.

Irwin made 14 consecutive pars before gaining a tie with Murphy with a 20-foot birdie of his own on 15. He then won it on the final hole.

“The last hole I played to perfection. A three-wood, five-iron and sand wedge makes for a pretty nice ending,” said Irwin, whose chose to lay-up instead of trying to go for the green in two. “I wanted to get closer so I had a more comfortable shot. I wanted less than 85-95 yards and I did that.”

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The Titleholders Championship at Daytona Beach, Fla., was hit with its third storm delay in as many days, causing a postponement until today, when a nine-hole shootout is scheduled. Becky Iverson, Karrie Webb and Chris Johnson are tied for the lead.

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South Africa’s Retief Goosen came away with the victory in the $900,000 French Open at Bordeaux after losing a three-stroke lead over the last four holes and then beating Greg Turner of New Zealand on the second hole of a playoff. Both had final-round 70s.