Jacobsen Bests Irwin for Second Major Title

L.A. Times Archives

July 11, 2005 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Bouncing between the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour paid off for Peter Jacobsen.

Jacobsen made a birdie putt out of a collection area on the 16th -- where he had a flashback to last month’s U.S. Open -- then outlasted Hale Irwin by a stroke Sunday in the final round of the Senior Players Championship at Dearborn, Mich.

“It didn’t scare me because I did it all week at Pinehurst,” said Jacobsen, who tied for 15th three weeks ago in the U.S. Open.

The 51-year-old Jacobsen won his second senior major in less than year, finishing at 15 under after closing with a six-under 66 on the TPC of Michigan.

After Jacobsen’s remarkable putt, 14 feet up a steep incline, he two-putted from 80 feet for birdie at the 17th to surge past Irwin.

Jacobsen, who was three groups ahead of Irwin, could only wait and watch as the three-time U.S. Open champion tried to catch him.

Irwin came inches short on a 13-foot birdie try on No. 17. Then, after a great approach on the final hole, the 60-year-old star narrowly missed a 12-footer.

“I expected him to make that putt, and we were going to go back down 18 for a playoff,” Jacobsen said.

Irwin, who also lipped out a four-footer for par on the 12th, finished with a 70 after shooting three 68s in a row. He fell just short of his eighth senior major, a victory that would’ve tied Jack Nicklaus’ record.

Irwin bemoaned missing five key putts after making the turn, but especially the near-misses on the last two holes.

“Those putts were no-brainers,” he said. “Unfortunately, I guess I don’t have a brain.”

Tom Watson (68) and Tom McKnight (71) tied for third at 12 under.

Dana Quigley (73) was among six players at 10 under in perhaps the final event in his ironman streak. Quigley, playing his 264th consecutive event and 278th in a row in events he has been eligible for, will end the eight-year run if his hip doesn’t improve because he doesn’t want to sit through a long flight to the Senior British Open.

Sean O’Hair shot a six-under-par 65, holding off J.L. Lewis and Hank Kuehne to win the John Deere Classic at Silvis, Ill., for his first PGA Tour victory. The rookie, who turns 23 today and was making only his 18th start, finished with a 16-under 268.

So steady all day, O’Hair made things interesting at the end. After a birdie on 17, he had to scramble on 18 after nearly putting his ball in the water. With the ball on the hazard line, O’Hair chipped within 10 feet to make par. Then he had to wait.

Kuehne and Lewis were two holes behind him, and both were at 15 under after 17. If either made birdie on 18, it would have forced a playoff. Lewis folded first, putting his second shot in the water. Kuehne had a 24-footer for birdie, but he left it about two feet short, securing the victory for O’Hair.

Kuehne (68) and Robert Damron (67) finished one stroke behind O’Hair at 269. Lewis (72), defending champion Mark Hensby (64) and Wes Short (66) were at 270.

Heather Bowie won her first LPGA Tour title, parring the third hole of a playoff with Gloria Park in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic at Sylvania, Ohio.

Park made things easy for Bowie, hitting a low hook out of the rough and into a creek on the par-five 18th. After hitting clutch putts on the first two extra holes to extend the playoff, Park triple-bogeyed the last hole.

Bowie, who earned $180,000 and a three-year LPGA Tour exemption, closed with a four-under 67 to match Park at 10-under 274.

Brad Faxon made the trip across the Atlantic worth his while, shooting a 69 at St. Andrews, Scotland, to earn one of three final qualifying spots for the British Open.

Up next

PGA TOUR

* What: B.C. Open.

* Where: En-Joie Golf Club, Endicott, N.Y.

* When: Thursday-Sunday.

* 2004 champion: Jonathan Byrd.

LPGA TOUR

* What: BMO Financial Group Canadian Women’s Open.

* Where: Glen Arbour Golf Course, Halifax, Canada.

* When: Thursday-Sunday.

* 2004 champion: Meg Mallon.

CHAMPIONS TOUR