Purtzer tops Roberts on fourth hole of AT&T sudden death  SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (AP) -- Tom Purtzer won the Champions Tour's AT&T Champions Classic for the second time in five seasons, beating Loren Roberts with a 17-foot birdie on the fourth hole of a playoff Sunday.  Tom Purtzer succeeded after some help from pal Dave Stockton. (Steve Grayson/WireImage)
Purtzer closed with a 4-under 68 to match Roberts (69) at 10-under 206 on the Valencia Country Club course. The 55-year-old Purtzer earned $240,000 for his fourth career victory on the Champions Tour. "I feel really fortunate, and lucky," said Purtzer, in tears after the victory. After the two players matched pars on their first three trips down the par-5 18th in the playoff, Purtzer finally broke through with his 17-foot birdie putt. Roberts had a chance to match, but his 12-foot birdie try just missed on the right side. Purtzer credited fellow tour player Dave Stockton for some recent putting help. "I have to thank Dave. He gave me a lesson and I putted better," said Purtzer, a five-time winner on the PGA TOUR. "I hung in there and played really well." Purtzer, playing in the group in front of Roberts, made a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 18 in regulation to reach 10 under. Roberts, hampered by back problems, had a chance to win in regulation, but missed a 19-foot birdie try. "It was a long day," Roberts said. "We took it as far as we could go. I was just happy to get in a playoff. My back has been really bothering me." David Eger (69) finished a stroke back at 9 under. Hale Irwin, the leader the first two days, closed with a 73 to drop into a fourth-place tie with Tom Jenkins (68), Joe Ozaki (67), Des Smyth (68), Jim Thorpe (71) and Andy Bean (72) at 8 under. "I played 27 good holes and 27 not so good," the 61-year-old Irwin said. "I just didn't do what I needed to do. I played very poorly." Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. |
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