Associated Press
Sunday, May 28

AUGUSTA, Mo. -- Larry Nelson had quite an answer for Tom Watson's eagle 3 on No. 17 Sunday. His own.

	Larry Nelson surpassed the $1 million mark in earnings for the 2000 season, tops on the Senior Tour.

Watson holed out from more than 100 feet for the eagle and a one-shot lead in the Boone Valley Classic. Nelson, playing in the same group, then dropped in a chip from about 30 feet for a 3 and a one-stroke lead.

Nelson then parred the closing hole while Watson double-bogeyed for a three-stroke victory and the lead in the Senior Tour's money race.

"I've been in these situations enough to know that when I was standing over there watching his chip that anything can happen," Nelson said.

"When it went in, I wasn't shocked or dismayed. I had a pretty easy chip, but to chip it in like that, there was a lot of luck involved for both of us."

Nelson, also the 1998 winner, said he wasn't surprised to make his eagle on the 491-yard par-5. "I wasn't shocked, because I was trying to make it."

Nelson's 4-under 68 gave him a 16-under 200 total. The $225,000 winner's purse moved him into first place on the money list with $1.06 million in 14 events. Bruce Fleisher, who had been leading the money list, did not play at Boone Valley following the death of his father earlier in the week.

Nelson, also the winner last month in Las Vegas, has seven victories in three seasons on the Senior Tour.

Watson said his long chip shot was just lucky because he hadn't played very well Sunday.

"Larry hit the ball quite a bit better than I did, and I hit very few quality shots today," Watson said. "I never could quite get over the hump. I chip it in on 17 and think I might have a little bit of an advantage, and he just chips it in right on top of me for his own eagle."

Watson, who started the final round one stroke behind Nelson, said he hit a 3-iron into the water on No. 18 when he struck the ground a few inches behind the ball. The closing 6 gave him a final-round 70 and a runner-up finish for the second straight week.

Nelson and Watson were tied at 13-under after 14 holes when Watson two-putted from about 50 feet for a birdie while Nelson was making a routine par 5 on the 476-yard hole.

Nelson took the lead again on No. 15 when he made an 8-footer for birdie while Watson parred.

David Graham, who entered the final round two shots back, had a 73 and finished third, four strokes behind Watson.

The final round was closed to all but a few hundred spectators after five inches of rain since Friday flooded tournament parking lots. The event, held at the Boone Valley Golf Club, about 40 miles west of St. Louis, was a sellout for the first time in its five-year history. Tournament officials said refunds would be issued.

Perhaps reflecting their contrasting personalities, Watson and Nelson had different views on the impact of having very few spectators watch the final round.

"You don't really notice it that much," the quiet Nelson said. "We were all pretty much into our own games."

Watson, who is more outgoing, said, "it was strange, it was kind of like when I had to qualify for the U.S. Open in 1972."

Nelson, Watson and Graham, who were in the final group, have won 13 major titles, including three U.S. Opens.