Watson picks up some cold cash in Florida

L.A. Times Archives

Feb. 19, 2007 12 AM PT

From the Associated Press

Tom Watson won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Lutz, Fla., his first professional victory in the state, closing with a one-under-par 70 in cold and windy conditions Sunday for a one-stroke margin over Jay Haas and Andy Bean.

The round was played in temperatures reaching the low 40s, with 30-mph gusts. Six players, including Watson, started at 7:30 a.m. to complete their second rounds after darkness suspended play Saturday with six players remaining on the course.

Watson, a five-time British Open champion who had been 0 for 93 as a pro in Florida, birdied the final hole in the second round shortly after frost cleared on the TPC Tampa Bay course to pull to within a stroke of the lead.

“I guess after all I’ve played in Florida it has just never been cold enough,” Watson said. “It took Kansas City weather to make it happen.”

Watson had to wait around after playing the 18th hole early in the morning and said he was feeling the effects of the cold.

“I was so tired, but it was so cold that I woke up really quickly,” Watson said. “I’ve never been this cold, even at the British Open.”

Watson finished at four-under 209 and earned $240,000 for the ninth Champions Tour title of his career. Haas shot a 69 and Bean closed with a 72.

Haas started the round three shots off the lead and played the back nine at even par before making his move with birdies on the 12th and 18th holes to close to within one shot.

Bean was tied for the lead before a double bogey on the 14th hole when he shanked a short chip shot sideways. His par chip from the rough came up 10 feet short and he missed the comebacker, and Watson had his first lead of the day.

Scott Sterling won the Jacob’s Creek Open at Adelaide, Australia, closing with a one-under 71 to beat Australia’s David Lutterus by one shot in the event sanctioned by the Nationwide and Australasian tours.

Sterling finished at 12-under 276 and earned $108,000 for his first Nationwide Tour victory. Lutterus closed with a 72.

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Matching up

Pairings for the Accenture Match Play Championship, which begins Wednesday (seedings in parentheses):

JONES BRACKET

* Tiger Woods (1) vs. J.J. Henry (16)

* Luke Donald (2) vs. Miguel Angel Jimenez (15)

* Henrik Stenson (3) vs. Zach Johnson (14)

* Nick O’Hern (4) vs. Lucas Glover (13)

* David Howell (5) vs. Rory Sabbatini (12)

* K.J. Choi (6) vs. Carl Pettersson (11)

* Shingo Katayama (7) vs. Aaron Baddeley (10)