Faxon-Norman Team Goes Into A Playoff To Win Fred Meyer

Brad Faxon and Greg Norman saved their best for last, and it was good enough to win the Fred Meyer Challenge at West Linn, Ore.

Norman forced a playoff by sinking a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Tuesday, then his teammate Faxon knocked home a 15-foot putt for a birdie on the first playoff hole to win the $100,000 first prize.

Paul Azinger, looking for his first victory of any kind since his triumph over cancer, had a chance for a storybook finish, but his 10-foot putt for birdie that would have clinched the victory on the final hole of regulation ran just past the cup.

He and teammate Payne Stewart led after the first round and were in the lead alone nearly throughout the second round, until the last hole.

Norman and Faxon combined for a 7-under-par 64 and Azinger and Stewart shot a 65 to finish regulation with 13-under 129 totals.

At Newport, R.I., defending champion Tiger Woods was a stroke out of the lead in the U.S. Amateur Championship after shooting a 2-under-par 68 in the first round of stroke-play qualifying.

Justin Roof of Conway, Ga., and Steve Scott of Coral Springs, Fla., share the lead in the centennial championship.