Scherrer Shoots a 67, Wins Kemper by Two

Tom Scherrer received a solid gold ball-marker as a good luck charm from one of his pro-am playing partners on Wednesday. Others in the fivesome had reminded Scherrer of the Kemper Open’s legacy of producing first-time PGA Tour winners and had suggested it may be his turn.

Those amateurs knew what they were talking about. On Sunday at Potomac, Md., Scherrer, marking his ball with the gold marker, became the tournament’s ninth first-time winner, finishing with a 13-under total of 271.

“One of the guys gave me this solid gold ball mark,” Scherrer said. “He said, ‘If you use this ball mark, you’ll win the tournament.’ I’m going to have that ball mark for a long time.”

Scherrer, who didn’t lead until the back nine on the final day, closed with a four-under-par 67 for a two-stroke victory. He was the only player to shoot sub-70 rounds each round.

“I’m sure it [his life] will change,” said Scherrer, whose $540,000 winner’s share accounts for about one-third of his career earnings. “It’s something I’ve been dreaming about forever. It’s going to change my life, but it’s not going to change me.”

Down the stretch, Scherrer battled Steve Lowery, the leader or co-leader after each of the first three rounds. The difference: Lowery had two bogeys, while Scherrer had two incredible par saves.

The most difficult came at the 16th, when Scherrer sprayed his tee shot way right--beyond the cart path and next to a green plastic trunk under the television crane. Scherrer was given a drop, only to hook his next shot into the back greenside bunker. His wedge shot landed within three feet, setting up a par to keep his one-stroke lead.

Scherrer is the fifth first-time winner on the tour this year.

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Hale Irwin finally got the hang of his new putter and broke from the pack of leaders with a seven-under-par 65 for a one-stroke victory in the BellSouth Senior Classic at Nashville, Tenn.

Irwin started the final round tied with three others at 11-under, and eight golfers were within a stroke as he teed off. But he birdied the first three holes and finished with seven birdies for his second victory this year. He won the Nationwide Championship last month.

Only Gil Morgan stayed with Irwin as he tied the tournament record of 18-under 198, set by Isao Aoki in 1998. Morgan shot a 63 that kept him within a stroke of Irwin on the back nine. He had his chances to grab a share of the lead but missed long birdie putts on each of his last three holes and finished at 199.

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Grace Park, helped by a long rain delay and two closing bogeys by Juli Inkster, won her first LPGA tournament, the Kathy Ireland Greens.com Classic at Murrells Inlet, S.C.

Park, a 21-year-old rookie, finished with a two-under 70 for a 274 total and earned $125,000 for the victory.

She trailed Inkster by three strokes after a 2-hour 15-minute rain delay. Park then birdied Nos. 16 and 17 holes to get to 14 under and Inkster missed a 10-foot par putt on the final hole.

Up Next

Next week’s schedule for golf’s three major tours:

PGA SCHEDULE

* Thursday-Sunday--Buick Classic, Westchester CC, Harrison, N.Y.

SENIOR SCHEDULE

* Friday-Sunday--Ameritech Senior Open, Kemper Lakes, Long Grove, Ill.

LPGA SCHEDULE

* Thursday-Sunday--Wegmans Rochester International, Locust Hill CC, Pittsford, N.Y.