PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – Hale Irwin won for the first time since turning 60 in June, shooting a 4-under 68 at Pebble Beach on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over three players in the Champions Tour’s First Tee Open.

Irwin, a three-time winner this year and the tour’s career leader with 43 victories, had a 13-under 203 total. The three-time U.S. Open champion is the first player 60 or older to win since J.C. Snead in 2002.

“I relish the challenge of playing and going out at the age 60 to play like I did when I was 50,” said Irwin, who earned $300,000 from the $2 million purse.

Irwin made a 10-foot birdie putt on No. 17 and closed with a par to hold off 2004 winner Craig Stadler (67), Morris Hatalsky (67) and Gil Morgan (69). Stadler and Hatalsky, playing two groups ahead of Irwin, both missed birdie putts on the 18th hole.

“You’ve got to give him a lot of credit to birdie 17 like that,” Hatalsky said. “The wind was doing funny things, but he always finds a way.”

Irwin, who began the final round tied for the lead with Morgan, had seven birdies and three bogeys in the final round. The 1984 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am winner, Irwin is the 12th player to win PGA Tour and Champions Tour events on the same course.

“I hit a lot of very good golf shots this week,” Irwin said. “I’m not going to beat up my short game, but I had some putting difficulty. But I’m not complaining.”

The former college football star at Colorado has overcome back problems this year.

“I’ve gotten away from my conditioning because of my back, but I’ve got to get back to that this winter,” Irwin said.

Hurst wins LPGA State Farm Classic

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Pat Hurst put a final-hole collapse behind her in a hurry – and put herself in a perfect frame of mind for the Solheim Cup.

A week after making a double bogey on the final hole to finish two strokes behind Cristie Kerr in the Wendy’s Championship for Children, Hurst closed with a routine par Sunday to beat Kerr by three strokes in the LPGA State Farm Classic.

“You try to look at the present not the past,” Hurst said. “I think last week was just a stepping stone and I think it helped a little bit.”

The 36-year-old Hurst finished with a 2-under 70 for her fourth LPGA Tour victory and first since 2000. She had a 17-under 271 total and earned $195,000.

A little more than an hour after finishing play, Hurst and Kerr boarded a bus with five other U.S. Solheim Cup players for the trip to Carmel, Ind., for the matches next weekend against Europe at Crooked Stick. “What more can you ask for? … Representing your country, it makes you feel good,” said Hurst, the 1995 LPGA rookie of the year.

On Sunday, Hurst birdied four of the first five holes and had a five-stroke lead after 11 holes, but dropped three strokes on her next two holes with a double bogey and bogey. She rebounded with a birdie on No. 14 and finished with four straight pars.

Goosen wins China Masters

BEIJING – Retief Goosen shot an 8-under-par 64 Sunday to win the China Masters, with U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell six strokes back as the runner-up.

Goosen, who led the tournament from the from first round, had a 29 on the first nine holes and ended the Asian Tour event at 22 under. The South African’s 64 equaled the Jinghua Golf Club course record he set Thursday.

This was the second title of the year for Goosen, a two-time U.S. Open champion who last month rallied to win The International in Colorado.

“I saw the greens very well today,” he said. “On the front nine, I saw what the ball was supposed to do. There was no doubt in my mind.”

Garcia wins European Masters by a shot

CRANS-SUR-SIERRE, Switzerland (AP) – Sergio Garcia won the European Masters by a stroke Sunday, chipping in for a birdie on the 16th hole in a 3-under-par 68 to hold off Sweden’s Peter Gustafsson.

Garcia entered the day ahead by a stroke and finished at 14-under 270. The Spaniard’s only other title this year was at the Booz-Allen Classic on the PGA Tour.

Gustafsson posted the day’s best round, a 64 that left him at 271. Paul Casey of England (66) was third at 272, followed by defending champion Luke Donald of England (69) and Garry Houston of Wales (70) at 273.

Garcia had a stretch of four birdies in five holes. His 22-yard chip-in on the 16th finished off Gustafsson.

The Swede challenged by making five putts between 10 and 20 feet.

“I found my putting stroke on the practice green yesterday,” Gustafsson said. “Everything got better as the week went on.”

Casey is gradually pulling out of a prolonged slump in which he missed seven cuts starting with the Masters in April.

“I can’t be too frustrated,” he said. “I feel I am getting back to where I want to be.”

Garcia dedicated the title to a close friend who died Friday from lung cancer.

“She was a lovely person, very caring,” he said.


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