Paulson Beats Duval in Four-Hole Playoff

Dennis Paulson prevailed in his second consecutive playoff at the Buick Classic, beating David Duval with a four-foot par putt on the fourth extra hole Sunday at Rye, N.Y.

Paulson, a first-time PGA Tour winner who lost to Duffy Waldorf on the first playoff hole last year, made his par putt after Duval missed a five-footer for par on the par-four 17th. Paulson set up his winning putt with a 40-foot chip from the deep rough.

“It definitely feels a whole lot better coming in here this year than it did last year,” Paulson said in the interview room.

“It will be nice to go to play in the U.S. Open next week and be a little more part of story. Instead of just another golfer teeing off.”

Paulson, a former national long-driving champion, closed with a three-under-par 68 on the demanding Westchester Country Club course, holing a curling 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole for an eight-under 276 total. Duval, winless since April of 1999, finished with a 69.

Sergio Garcia, the 20-year-old Spanish star who birdied his last hole Friday to make the cut, followed his third-round 65 with a 68 to finish a stroke back. Greg Norman shot a 67 to finish fourth at 278, his first top-10 finish since the British Open.

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Tom Kite saved par from greenside traps on the 16th and 17th holes and then birdied No. 18 to win the SBC Senior Open by two strokes over Bruce Fleisher at Long Grove, Ill.

Kite, who leads the Senior PGA Tour in sand save percentage, shot a four-under 68 in the final round at Kemper Lakes Golf Club to finish at nine-under 207.

Fleisher, playing in the group ahead of Kite, was tied at eight under before bogeying 18 from the back bunker. Fleisher shot a 68 on Sunday to finish in second place for the second consecutive year at the tournament. He was one stroke better than Bruce Summerhays, who shot a final-round 69.

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Sidestepping puddles, Meg Mallon shot a five-under 67 to pull two strokes clear of Wendy Doolan and win the Rochester (N.Y.) International, her 12th victory in 14 years on the LPGA tour.

“I’m glad we had that squeegee,” Mallon said with a grin after battling through torrential rain to end with an eight-under 280 total.

Doolan, a second-round co-leader who crashed with a 77 Saturday, bounced back to six under with a closing 66 to match the day’s best score. The Australian had three consecutive birdies after the turn, then pitched in for an eagle from 118 yards on No. 13.

Dale Eggeling, aiming to become the second-oldest winner on tour at 46, shot a 73 to fade to four under, one ahead of Rosie Jones (69), who won at Rochester in 1991 and ’98.