KAUPULEHU-KONA, Hawaii — This time around, age prevailed.
Tom Watson became the 13th-oldest player to win on the Champions Tour, birdieing the final two holes Sunday for a one-stroke win over senior newcomer Fred Couples in the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship.
“This is what I live for in my career — to do what I did today,” Watson said. “I don’t think I’ll have too many more, but I had this one.”
The 60-year-old Watson, coming off a win with Jack Nicklaus in the Champions Skins, closed with a 7-under-par 65 to finish at 22-under 194 for his 13th Champions Tour title and his first victory in 34 career starts in Hawaii on the two tours.
After pushing his drive into the right rough, Watson hit a spectacular second shot with a pitching wedge from 147 yards that rolled 20 feet on the 18th green and stopped 4 feet from the hole.
Couples, who closed with a bogey-free 64, just missed his 15-foot birdie putt to the left on the final hole. Watson then calmly sank the winner.
“It wasn’t over until he said it was over,” Couples said.
It was a sweet victory for Watson, who made a magical run last year at the British Open before losing to Stewart Cink in a playoff.
Couples, who was trying to become the 16th player to win his Champions Tour debut, didn’t seem too upset with his runner-up finish.
“Who won the football game?” he asked while walking off the 18th green.
Double bogey derails Bubba
LA QUINTA, Calif. — Bubba Watson double bogeyed the final hole in the fourth round at the Bob Hope Classic, dropping him back into a tie with PGA Tour rookie Alex Prugh at 23-under 265 heading into the finale in the five-round event.
Watson finished with 3-under 69 to match Prugh (70) at 23-under 265. Bill Haas and Tim Clark were a stroke back after 66s, Joe Ogilvie (68) followed at 21 under, and Mike Weir (67) was in a group at 20-under.
Kaymer’s birdie KO’s Poulter
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Martin Kaymer birdied the 18th hole to win the Abu Dhabi Championship, earning the title for the second time in three years with a one-shot victory over England’s Ian Poulter.
The Associated Press
