Mike McCullough sank a five-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to capture the Georgia-Pacific Grand Champions title at The Boeing Championship at Sandestin on Saturday. The Boeing Championship at Sandestin is the third of six Grand Champions events on the 2006 Champions Tour schedule. McCullough had played 34 holes of bogey-free golf on Friday and Saturday at the Raven Golf Club at Sandestin in Sandestin, Fla., before making a double-bogey seven at the 17th hole to fall into a tie with clubhouse leader Bruce Summerhays. McCullough then rolled in a five-foot birdie putt on 18 to capture his second career Grand Champions title. He won the Georgia-Pacific Grand Champions Championship last season. McCullough shot rounds of 68-71 for a two-round total of 4-under-par 138. McCullough, who started the day with a one-shot lead over Raymond Floyd, found himself tied after Floyd birdied the second hole. However, a triple-bogey on the par-4 ninth hole ended Floyd’s hopes of winning. Summerhays, who started the day five shots back, fired a 4-under-par 67 to finish alone in second place at three-under-par 139. Hale Irwin, who won last week’s Grand Champions event at the Regions Charity Classic, finished in third place at 2-under-par 140. Lee Trevino, John Bland and Floyd tied for fourth place at 1-under-par 141. McCullough earns $30,000 for the victory. Irwin continues to lead the Grand Champions money list with $58,500 through three events. McCullough won the Grand Champions money title last year with $119,267. The Georgia-Pacific Grand Champions competition features players age 60 and older vying for an additional purse and title at six selected Champions Tour events. Scores posted during the first two rounds of the tournament determine the Grand Champions winner. The 2006 Georgia-Pacific Grand Champions competition concludes with the Georgia-Pacific Grand Champions Championship, which will be held at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in suburban Atlanta, from Sept. 8-9. The Grand Champions play for weekly purses of $175,000, with $400,000 up for grabs at the Championship. The top 16 players on the 2006 Georgia-Pacific Grand Champions money list through the Commerce Bank Championship, plus two sponsors’ exemptions, will be eligible for the season-ending, 36-hole championship. McCullough won last year’s Championship and its $85,000 first prize. Information on the Georgia-Pacific golf program is available at www.gp.com/golf. |
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