Austin Finally Has a Lot of Nerve in Playoff Win

Woody Austin is finally getting a grip on his nerves, and it’s starting to pay off.

Austin calmly made a six-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole Sunday to beat Tim Herron at the Buick Championship at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., and earn the first-place prize of $756,000 -- the largest check in his PGA Tour career.

“Unfortunately for me, I’m a very nervous individual and it shows on the greens a lot of times. I’m starting to calm down a little bit as far as I’m not having to worry about my job,� said Austin, who has had exempt status the last two years.

Austin, who used to spend his off-seasons as a bank teller, finished 125th on the money list in 2001, just good enough to earn an exemption. In 2002, he had bigger cushion, finishing in the top 50 for the first time since 1996 and earning $1 million for the first time in his career.

“I went for seven years in a row of having to worry about my job every single year, and now for two years in a row, I don’t have to,� he said.

Austin shot a four-under 66 and finished 10 under in regulation, earning his second career victory and first in 274 events. It was his first victory since winning a playoff at the 1995 Buick Open, the same season he was named rookie of the year.

Fred Funk, who is preparing for his first Ryder Cup, held a one-stroke lead after three rounds and protected it through 11 holes. He then bogeyed four of the next five holes for an even-par 70 and finished at nine under in a three-way tie for third with Tom Pernice Jr. and rookie Zach Johnson.

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Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain won his fourth title on the European tour this season, and four others claimed Ryder Cup berths at the BMW Open at Montreal Nord Eichenried.

Jimenez birdied Nos. 11, 13 and 14 to break open a duel with France’s Thomas Levet and win by two strokes at 21-under 267. Jimenez finished with a 66. Levet shot 68 for a 19-under 269, while Paul Casey, Colin Montgomerie and Alex Cejka were three back at 270.

Casey’s tie for third secured one of the final four guaranteed Ryder Cup spots. He was joined by English countrymen David Howell and Ian Poulter and Irishman Paul McGinley. Bernhard Langer added Montgomerie and Luke Donald as captain’s picks.

The Ryder Cup is scheduled for Sept. 17-19 at Oakland Hills outside Detroit.

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Craig Stadler birdied the final four holes and finished with a five-under 67 at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club in Aloha, Ore., to edge Jerry Pate and Allen Doyle by one stroke in winning the Tradition, the final major this season on the Champions Tour.

Pate shot a second consecutive 66 to nearly force a playoff. But Stadler finished at 13-under 275 to win his second major. Bruce Fleisher, who tied Pate with low round Sunday at 66, headed a group of seven golfers tied for fourth at 277. Portland native Peter Jacobsen was among the group at 277.

“I guess it was fairly surprising at the end. You look at the board all through the day and it didn’t look like I was in it,� Stadler said.

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Lorena Ochoa birdied three of the last four holes to overcome a five-stroke deficit and win the Wachovia LPGA Classic at Berkleigh Country Club in Kutztown, Pa.

Ochoa shot a 65 to finish at 19-under 269 for her second career win. Third-round leader Grace Park, who set a tournament record for 54 holes at 17-under 199, finished two strokes behind Ochoa with round of par 72. Hee-Won Han and Jill McGill finished four strokes back at 273.