Player Keeps On Winning

Gary Player rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the second extra hole to beat compatriot John Bland Sunday and win his third Senior British Open title at Portrush, Northern Ireland.

After shooting a four-under 68, the 62-year-old South African fought off the challenge of Bland at the 17th and collected the winner’s check of $98,000.

“I missed only one green and didn’t hole anything outside two feet,� Player said.

After parring the first eight holes, Player collected the first of his four birdies and managed a bogey-free final round. He birdied three of the four par-fives and the par-four 13th by dropping shots within short range of the flags.

Bland, who led by two strokes going into the final round at the par-72 Royal Portrush course, finished with a 70 to tie Player at 10-under 278.

Australia’s Noel Ratcliffe missed a chance at joining the two South Africans in the playoff when he bogeyed the final hole for a 69.

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Greg Norman earned a Canadian Skins Game record $275,000 for the two-day event when he made an eight-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole at Whistler, British Columbia. The putt won Norman $190,000 Canadian.

Fred Couples finished second, winning $50,000, and Jack Nicklaus was third with $35,000. Nick Faldo did not win a skin.

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Rookie Stewart Cink earned his first PGA Tour victory at the $1.5-million Greater Hartford Open in Cromwell, Conn., and with a final-round 66 equaled Greg Norman’s 1995 tournament scoring record of 267, 13 under par.

John Daly finished with a two-under-par 68 for a four-under 276 total in his first tournament since leaving the U.S. Open early.

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Dave Stockton, fending off challenges from Larry Zeigler and Kermit Zarley, shot a four-under-par 68 for a victory at the rain-delayed $1-million Franklin Quest Championship at Park City, Utah.

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Tammie Green eagled the fifth playoff hole to beat Laura Davis and win the Giant Eagle LPGA Classic at Warren, Ohio.

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Player’s Performances

* PGA Tour victories: 21

* PGA majors: Masters Tournament (1961, 1974, 1978), PGA Championship (1962, 1972), U.S. Open (1965), British Open (1959, 1968, 1974)

* Senior Tour victories: 19

* Senior Tour majors: PGA Seniors Championship (1986, 1988, 1990), U.S. Senior Open (1987, 1988),

* Other Senior victories: Senior British Open (1988, 1990, 1997).