CARY, N.C. — Tom Pernice Jr. became the 15th player to win in his Champions Tour debut, holing a 35-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Nick Price and David Frost in the SAS Championship.
“You don’t expect to hit a 35-footer, especially on the last hole to win,” Pernice said. “It was my turn to win, I guess.”
Pernice, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, including The International in 2001, closed with a 3-under-par 69 to finish at 13-under 203. Frost shot a 67, Price a 68.
“That was exciting,” said Frost, who made his tour debut last week and mounted a late charge with birdies on three of his last four holes. “I didn’t have a good start, but then all of a sudden. . . . I can’t be too disappointed.”
Pernice is the third player this year to win in his tour debut, following Tom Lehman, who teamed with Bernhard Langer in the Liberty Mutual Legends, and Senior PGA winner Michael Allen.
“I got off to a good start, and then I started to struggle,” said Pernice, who played 264 events before his first win on the PGA Tour. “I battled through some tough times in the middle of the round.”
Gustafson gets it right this time
DANVILLE, Calif. — Sophie Gustafson is finally an LPGA Tour winner again, six years after her last championship, cruising to a four-stroke victory over top-ranked Lorena Ochoa (72) in the CVS/pharmacy LPGA Challenge.
The 35-year-old Swede shot a 4-under 68 and finished at 20-under 268 for her first title since the 2003 Samsung World Championship. It was her fifth career tour victory.
“I have felt good but I haven’t gotten it done,” Gustafson said. “I felt good about my game, but the thing about my game is it can come and go. I don’t know what to expect.”
The Associated Press
