Another Week, Another Win for Begay

If Tiger Woods isn’t careful, he might start being referred to as Notah Begay’s college teammate.

Begay won the Greater Hartford Open at Cromwell, Conn., Sunday for his second consecutive victory on the PGA Tour.

“We’ve got to keep the Stanford streak going. He won the U.S. Open, I’ve won these two, and he’s got to win it next week,” said Begay, referring to the Western Open.

Woods begins defense of his Western Open title Thursday.

Begay holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a one-stroke victory over Mark Calcavecchia, making him the first player to win consecutive tournaments since Woods won the final two events last year.

“It’s beyond words for me. I’m real happy with my game. And after all the personal problems I’ve had, it’s a pleasure to be playing golf again,” said Begay, who won the St. Jude Classic last week in Memphis, Tenn.

Arrested in January for drunken driving in his hometown of Albuquerque and jailed for a week, Begay missed five cuts in 10 tournaments after that. Overcoming his personal problems and the death of a close friend this week added to his resolve to win Sunday.

He closed with a seven-under-par 64 to break the tournament record with a 20-under 260 total on the TPC at River Highlands. Brent Geiberger set the previous record of 262 last year.

Begay plans to take some time off before playing the British Open on July 20-23.

“I’m all golfed out,” he said.

Combined with his victory last week, Begay has picked up more than $1 million in earnings to nudge him near the top 10.

Calcavecchia began the day with a three-stroke lead, but Begay charged to the top of the leaderboard with birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 5 and 7, rolling in putts of between 10 and 25 feet. He putts either left-handed or right-handed depending upon the break.

The tournament winner came from the right side.

*

Janice Moodie of Scotland made five short par-saving putts on the back nine to preserve her first pro victory as she won the ShopRite LPGA Classic at Absecon, N.J., by two shots.

Moodie shot a two-under-par 69 and finished the 54-hole tournament with a 10-under 203 total.

Pat Hurst, who started the final round seven strokes behind Moodie, shot an early 64 and that was good enough to give her a tie for second with rookie Grace Park of South Korea at 205. Park shot a 67.

Juli Inkster, who won last week’s LPGA Championship and played into contention by making birdies on five of the final seven holes Saturday, never challenged after an early birdie Sunday gave her a share of the lead. The 41-year-old Hall of Famer shot a one-under 70 and finished tied for fourth at 206 with Vickie Odegard and Michelle Estill.

Moodie, who earned $165,000, never trailed in the tournament in joining Kathryn Marshall (1995 in Toledo) as only the second Scot to win on the LPGA Tour.

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Up Next

New week’s schedule for golf’s major tours:

* PGA: Thursday/Sunday--Advil Western Open, Cog Hill Golf & Country Club, Lemont, Ill.

* LPGA: Thursday/Sunday--Jamie Farr Kroger Classic, Highland Meadows G.C., Sylvania, Ohio.

* SENIORS: Friday/Sunday--State Farm Senior Classic, Hobbit’s Glen G.C., Columbia, Md.