ESPN.com - Golf Online - Irwin successfully defends Nationwide title

ESPN Golf Online news services
Sunday, May 14

ALPHARETTA, Ga. -- Hale Irwin successfully defended his Nationwide Championship title Sunday, using impeccable course management for a 3-under 69 and a one-stroke victory over Vincente Fernandez and Tom Jenkins.


	Hale Irwin picked up his 26th Senior title, just two shy of Lee Trevino's record.

A birdie at the par-4 12th moved Irwin to 9-under and gave the three-time U.S. Open champion a lead he never relinquished. Irwin closed with six straight pars for a 9-under 207 total, his 26th Senior Tour victory and the first prize of $217,500.

"I'm very pleased with the (title) defense," Irwin said. "I was nervous out there playing."

Irwin needed to two-putt from 25 feet on the final hole for the win. He ran his first putt past and was left with a tricky 4-footer for the win.

"It was a bit of a battle," he said. "I played the last hole to make a par. I did -- barely -- but the bottom line was that I did."

Irwin needs two more victories to catch Lee Trevino for most wins on the Senior Tour. His victory at the Golf Club of Georgia last year, which came when he eagled the par-5 18th by holing a wedge from 74 yards, started a run of five wins in 1999.

Fernandez and Jenkins, who both started the day three shots behind second-round leader Larry Nelson and one behind Irwin, shot 69s to tie for second at 208.

Fernandez finished second at the Royal Caribbean Classic on Feb. 6.

"On 18, I pushed the (par) putt," Fernandez added. "I didn't put a good stroke on it. I always try to do my best and I can't do anything about anyone else. If someone beats me by a stroke, then I congratulate them."

Jenkins, who earned his first top-three finish of the year, pushed his 6-iron close to the water on the par-3 17th, chipped within five feet and missed the putt.

"A few putts here or there and I might have won," said Jenkins. "To come in and play like this is a confidence boost. I'm not really concerned about what Hale Irwin did. Him playing good is great for the Senior Tour."

Irwin is the first repeat champion at the Nationwide. He joined Bruce Fleisher as the only players to successfully defend titles this year and moved into third on the money list with $757,268.

"I really hit my iron shots badly this week," Irwin said. "I used a new driver, which gave me some added length. Sometimes a win like this will ignite the rest of my game."

Nelson, who began the day with a one-shot lead over Walter Hall and Mark Hayes, birdied the first two holes to go 10-under, but followed with two straight bogeys. Despite getting back to 9-under with a birdie at the par-4 eighth, Nelson bogeyed Nos. 10 and 11 and never recovered. His 74 left him tied for seventh.

Hall and Hayes also unraveled.

Hall, who finished with a 77, played the final nine holes 6-over and finished in a tie for 21st.

Hayes, the first-round leader, had no birdies in his final round and closed with a 75.

On a day that began with eight players within three shots of the lead, Mike McCullough matched a course record by playing the back nine in 31. McCullough, who birdied all four of the par-5s, finished with a 65.

Gil Morgan eagled No. 18 for a 70 and tied McCullough for fourth at 209.

Divots

Bob Murphy, who won the 1995 Nationwide and finished second last year, birdied Nos. 14, 16 and 18 to finish in a tie for seventh place with a 68.

A double-bogey at the par-4 16th ruined Bruce Summerhays' chances. At 5-under after the double, Summerhays bogeyed the last two holes to finish with a 74.

Tom Watson birdied Nos. 16 and 18 to finish with a 70 and in a tie for eighth. Watson is still seeking his first win of 2000.