Jay Haas charged past Tom Watson to win the Senior Players Championship by a stroke, birdieing the 18th hole yesterday to match the course record with a 6-under 64 in the final Champions Tour major of the season.
Watson, 60, was trying to become the oldest major winner on the 50-and-over tour. But after making only one bogey in the first three rounds at Baltimore Country Club, he had three in the final round en route to a 70.
Haas, a Wake Forest graduate, finished at 13-under 267 for his third senior major title. He has 14 career Champions Tour victories, also winning the Greater Hickory Classic two weeks ago.
Haas took advantage of a well-placed 6-iron from 185 yards on his second shot on the par-4 18th hole. His shot dropped on the right side of the green, then rolled within 3 feet of the cup for a birdie.
Watson missed the fairway on 18, ending any hopes that he could catch Haas. Mark Wiebe (71) and Loren Roberts (71) tied for third at 7 under, and Bernhard Langer (68) and John Cook (72) followed at 6 under.
Watson pulled ahead by a stroke with a masterful, downhill birdie putt on No. 15. With 30 feet to the hole, he sent a slow roller that briefly broke right before curling left and dropping in to put him at 12 under. But Haas birdied 17, converting a 12-foot putt for his 20th birdie of the tournament, to force a tie atop the leaderboard.
With a gusty breeze making putting on the difficult greens at the Five Farms East course even more challenging, Watson wasn't able to replicate the 64 that he shot Saturday that gave him a four-shot lead after three rounds.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement