Sauers’ Third Win Has a Sweet Reward

Gene Sauers won what might have been the last Air Canada Championship, closing with a two-under 69 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Steve Lowery at Surrey, Canada.

The 40-year-old Sauers, who hasn’t had a full PGA Tour card since 1996, finished with a 15-under 267 for his third tour victory and first since 1989. The 13-year gap between wins is the third longest in tour history.

Lowery, who finished second to Joel Edwards last year, shot a 68, missing an eight-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Sauers, who came into the week 217th on the money list after playing only three events this year, earned $630,000, his biggest payday ever and almost as much as he made in the last eight years.

He might not get a chance to defend the title, with the future of the event in doubt. Air Canada’s four-year sponsorship ended this week.

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Patricia Meunier-Labouc won her first LPGA Tour title, shooting a five-under 67 for a two-stroke victory in the State Farm Classic at Springfield, Ill.

Meunier-Labouc, playing her second season on the LPGA Tour after winning five times on the Ladies European Tour, had an 18-under 270 total on the Rail Golf Course and won $165,000. Se Ri Pak and Mi Hyun Kim tied for second at 16-under 272.

Emilee Klein played her way onto the U.S. Solheim Cup team, closing with a 69 to tie for fourth at 15 under with rookie Beth Bauer (67) and Laura Davies (67).

Klein, who began the week 13th in the race for the 10 automatic spots, jumped to 10th, with the top 11 earning shots because No. 5 Dottie Pepper is sidelined by a shoulder injury. Patty Sheehan completed the squad by adding Kelly Robbins and Pat Hurst as captain’s picks.

Juli Inkster, Laura Diaz, Rosie Jones, Michele Redman, Cristie Kerr, Meg Mallon, Beth Daniel, Wendy Ward and Kelli Kuehne also earned automatic spots on the U.S. team for the Sept. 20-22 matches against Europe at Interlachen in Edina, Minn.

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Bob Gilder shot a four-under 67 in a head-to-head duel with John Bland to win the Allianz Championship by one stroke at West Des Moines, Iowa.

Gilder had to make a four-foot putt on 18 to secure his third victory on the Senior PGA Tour this year. He came back from two strokes down with eight holes to play and finished at 13-under 200.

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Thomas Bjorn ended his 18-month title drought by winning the BMW International Open at Nord-Eichenreid, Germany, with a 24-under 264.

Track and Field

Coby Miller won the 100 meters at an international meet in Padua, Italy, finishing in 10.10 seconds. Olympic pole vault champion Stacy Dragila won the women’s event with a leap of 15 feet, 1 3/4 inches.

Amer Garcia defeated fellow Cuban Yoel Hernandez in the 110-meter hurdles, clocking 13.37. Astrid Kumbernuss of Germany won the women’s shotput with a throw of 63-9.