ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — A series of short birdie putts gave Heath Slocum a comfortable lead Sunday.
It took a 60-foot birdie putt down the stretch to pull away from the pack and win the McGladrey Classic.
Slocum’s long birdie putt from behind the 16th green banged against the pin and disappeared into the cup for an unlikely birdie, sending him to a 2-under-par 68 and a one- shot victory over Bill Haas.
“That’s a putt he’ll always remember,” Haas said.
It was his first victory since he won The Barclays last year in the FedEx Cup playoffs by making a 10-foot birdie on the last hole to beat Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker.
The field wasn’t nearly as strong at Sea Island. The stakes weren’t quite as high. And thanks to a stunning birdie when Slocum was trying to lag it close for par, the final few holes didn’t hold much drama.
“Every win, regardless of the field . . . trust me, I went out there today wanting to win just as badly as I did at The Barclays,” Slocum said. “Any tournament you enter, you want to win. And when you do, there’s just no other feeling like it.”
It was the fourth victory of his career and should put him just outside the top 50 in the world. Slocum earned $720,000, which moved him to No. 29 on the PGA Tour money list with one tournament left on his schedule. The top 30 earn invitations to the Masters.
Hull wins by one stroke
PRATTVILLE, Ala. — Australia’s Katherine Hull rallied to win the Navistar LPGA Classic for her second career LPGA Tour title, pulling ahead with a birdie on the par-5 17th and finishing with a two-putt par for a 5-under 67 and a one-stroke victory over Brittany Lincicome.
Hull finished at 19-under 269. After opening with a 68, she had three straight bogey- free 67s.
“I feel like my game’s the best it’s ever been, and it’s going to get better too,” Hull said.
O’Meara breaks the ice
POTOMAC, Md. — Mark O’Meara sank a 4-foot par putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Michael Allen and win the Senior Players Championship, his first individual victory on the Champions Tour.
“It’s been a long time coming,” O’Meara said. “This is a demanding course. It’s a class field. It’s a senior major championship. So I feel like I hit the jackpot.”
Kaymer closes with a 66
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — PGA champion Martin Kaymer shot a 6-under 66 to win the Dunhill Links Championship, making him the first European Tour player in 21 years with three straight wins.
Kaymer’s streak began with his playoff win at Whistling Straits in the PGA Championship. The 25-year-old German then won the Dutch Open last month while preparing for the Ryder Cup.
