Stadler Beats Koch, Watson in Playoff

Craig Stadler made a 27-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the ACE Group Classic on Sunday, his fourth victory in 16 starts on the Champions Tour.

Gary Koch, who had a three-shot lead with five holes to go in regulation, missed a 31-footer for birdie before Stadler’s putt. After Stadler made his putt, Tom Watson had a chance to force a second playoff hole. However, his 10-footer went left.

“I thought I left it short,” Stadler said of his winning putt.

After turning 50 last June, he won the Ford Senior Players Championship in early July. A week later, he won the PGA Tour’s B.C. Open, becoming the first Champions Tour player to win on the PGA Tour.

He tied for 35th in the PGA Tour’s Pebble Beach National Pro-Am event last week.

Stadler, who has won all three times he has led or been tied for the lead going into the final round on the Champions Tour, struggled throughout the day. He hit only 10 of 18 greens and was in five bunkers after beginning the day with a one-stroke lead.

Stadler, Watson and Koch all finished at 10-under 206. Larry Nelson was 10 under heading to the final hole, but missed a seven-foot par putt and didn’t make the playoff.