Quigley’s Practice Regimen Pay Off

Going extra holes Sunday at the MasterCard Championship played right into Dana Quigley’s hands.

“It’s well-documented that I play all winter at home, so I always come in here with no rust,” Quigley said. “I have a built-in advantage.”

Quigley used that advantage to the fullest at Hualalai Golf Club when he made a three-foot par putt on the third playoff hole and beat a faltering Tom Watson to win the season-opening event on the Champions Tour for the second time in three years.

Quigley, 57, plays 36 to 45 holes a day during the off-season at home in West Palm Beach, Fla. His ninth Champions Tour title came in his 249th consecutive start, a record, and his 263rd in a row for which he was eligible.

“Golf is a lot of fun for me,” said Quigley, who earned $272,000 and improved his playoff record to 2-2. “It’s not only my job, but it’s my enjoyment, and it’s my passion, and there isn’t a thing in this world I would rather do.”

Watson, who led after the first two rounds, opened the door for Quigley to close out the tournament when he made a bogey after hitting a seven-iron into the lava behind the 17th green.

Quigley, who also missed the green long, putted past the hole and made the comeback try. He closed with a six-under 66, but his three-putt from the fringe on the final hole of regulation allowed Watson to move into a tie at 18-under 198. Quigley missed his second putt from five feet.

“My nerves got to me a little bit,” said Watson, who fell to 1-7 in playoffs on the tour.

Watson started the round with a three-stroke lead, but missed two four-foot putts for par on the back nine for his only two bogeys in regulation, closing with a two-under 70.

Hale Irwin birdied the 18th to cap his second consecutive 65 and finished in a tie for third with Gil Morgan at 17-under 199. Morgan got to within one of the lead after 10 holes, but couldn’t keep up the pace, finishing with a 67.