Els Sinks Out of Sight, Cink Rises to the Top

Stewart Cink always had a reason to withdraw from the MCI Classic. Now he’s got a reason not to.

Cink, playing in the tournament at Hilton Head Island, S.C., for the first time, shot a six-under 65 Sunday to overcome a four-stroke deficit as Ernie Els faltered.

Cink won by two strokes over Tom Lehman, who also shot a final-round 65.

“One year my wife had surgery,” said Cink, who won $540,000 for his second career PGA Tour victory. “One year we had a child the week before. Then one year I pulled out from just being tired and didn’t want to come down. That was probably the biggest mistake I’ve made since I’ve been on the Tour.”

After Cink’s final round, it’s easy to see why. He improved each day--71, 68, 66, 65--and birdied three of the last four holes to win a title that appeared to be Els’.

Cink trailed by four after Els’ tap-in birdie on the sixth hole. But Els had five bogeys the rest of the way to end his chances of winning. Els finished with a 74 and tied for third, five strokes back, in a group that included Davis Love III, who also faltered, and Masters champion Vijay Singh.

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Juli Inkster successfully defended her LPGA Longs Drugs Challenge title, closing with an even-par 72 for a five-stroke victory over Brandie Burton.

Inkster, playing about 125 miles from her Los Altos home, had a tournament-record 13-under 275 total on the Twelve Bridges course at Lincoln, Calif. She earned $105,000 for her 23rd victory. Brandie Burton closed with a 74 to finish second.

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Dana Quigley made 10 birdies and a quadruple bogey in the second round of the rain-delayed PGA Seniors’ Championship at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., to move within one stroke of Doug Tewell.

Quigley was nine under after one hole of the third round when play was suspended for the seventh time in four days. The tournament was reduced to 54 holes, with play to be completed today.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Up Next

* PGA--Thursday-Sunday, Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic, Forest Oaks Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.

* LPGA--April 28-30--Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, Eagles Landing C.C., Stockbridge, Ga.

* SENIOR--Friday-Sunday, Las Vegas Senior Classic, TPC at Summerlin-TPC at Canyons, Las Vegas.

Sunday’s complete scores, Page 13