Scranton’s Tap-In Par Beats Hjorth

Nancy Scranton won her first LPGA Tour title since 1992, parring the second hole of a playoff with Sweden’s Maria Hjorth in the Memorial of Naples Sunday at Naples, Fla.

Hjorth, 26, had a final-round, eight-under-par 64 to tie Scranton after regulation.

Scranton, 38, who had reconstructive shoulder surgery in 1996, closed with a 70.

“It was very, very satisfying,� said Scranton, who received the LPGA’s Heather Farr Award last year for her dedication and perseverance after the surgery. “Basically, I’ve done it. I’ve gotten back to where I felt like I could play. It was just so satisfying to . . . [get] the rewards for working hard.�

On the second playoff hole, the par-four 10th, Hjorth left her approach shot right of the pin, just off the green, and Scranton knocked her approach within 15 feet. Hjorth had a six-foot putt for par, but the ball broke right across the hole at the end, leaving Scranton with a tap-in one-footer for the victory.

Scranton earned $127,500 for her third tour title. She also has won the 1991 du Maurier Classic, and the 1992 Los Coyotes LPGA Classic. Hjorth, a two-time winner last season, earned $79,129.

Scranton rallied to tie for the lead with a birdie on No. 11 and an eagle on No. 12--back-to-back par-fives--then took the lead with a four-foot birdie putt on No. 16.

Third-round leader Jen Hanna three-putted the par-three 17th for a bogey to end her chances of becoming the first rookie to win her first event as an LPGA Tour member since 1951. She shot a 74 to tie for eighth at 277.

In a companion Legends event for players 40 and over, Australia’s Jan Stephenson, 48, won to take home $125,000, her biggest official paycheck ever.

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George Archer won the MasterCard Championship for the second time in 10 years, closing with a three-under-par 69 for a two-stroke victory at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Archer, 60, who began the round three strokes behind leader Graham Marsh, took the lead with an eagle on the 538-yard seventh hole, and birdied two other par-fives.

The 1969 Masters champion had a nine-under 207 total on the Hualalai course. Marsh shot a 74 to tie for second with Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin and Dana Quigley, who all had 72s. Archer earned $199,000 for his 19th senior victory, and first since the 1998 First of America Classic.

Marsh dropped four strokes on the front nine in windy conditions and had to birdie the closing hole to join the group at 209. Jack Nicklaus followed his second-round 80 with a 73 to finish 19 back at 226.

The season-opening tournament was limited to players who had won on the 50-and-over tour in the last two years or won a major in the last five.

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Sweden’s Matthias Gronberg rolled his 40-foot eagle attempt to within inches at the 18th hole, then sank a birdie putt to win the South African Open at Johannesburg. Gronberg shot a final-round 67 for a 14-under-par 274 and finished one stroke ahead of Zimbabwe’s Nick Price, Argentina’s Ricardo Gonzalez and South Africa’s Darren Fichardt, the third-round leader.