Splashy Comeback Gives Gallagher Title At Greensboro Open

Jim Gallagher Jr.’s impressive comeback Sunday left the rest of the Greater Greensboro Open field stone cold.

His 6-under-par 66 in rainy, blustery conditions allowed him to pull off the biggest final-round comeback on the PGA Tour in four years and win the $1.5 million event in Greensboro, N.C.

Gallagher, who won for the fourth time in his career, made up seven shots on second-round leader Jeff Sluman, mostly with a 5-under 31 on the back side to win the $270,000 firstplace prize with a 14-under 274.

Pullman’s Kirk Triplett shot a finalround 77 to rise to 7-under-281 and a 14th-place finish. Triplett led after the first two rounds.

An up-and-down par save on No. 8 helped set up Gallagher’s torrid back nine as he birdied four of his last six holes.

Mark Brooks came back from seven shots to win the 1991 GGO, while Fulton Allem also rallied that same year for victory in Houston.

It turned out that a par-saving 6-foot putt out of a greenside sand bunker on No. 18 was just as important for Gallagher as his eight birdies. He posted his score and then watched as Sluman and playing partner Peter Jacobsen stumbled down the stretch.

Lee Trevino and Mike Hill combined for a 7-under-par 64 final round and a two-stroke victory over Gibby Gilbert and J.C. Snead in the PGA Seniors Liberty Mutual Legends team tournament in La Quinta, Calif.

Trevino and Hill had eight birdies in their final round and finished the 54-hole event at 21-under 195 to become the first three-time winners of the event.

Chris Mitchell of Sundance golf course carded a 5-under-67 to win the 15th annual Sentry Markets/Al C. Giusti Memorial pro-am and take home the $225 first prize at the Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver, Wash.

Indian Canyon’s Gary Lindeblad tied for 11th with a 71, good enough for a $77.50 payoff, and Dan Koester of the University of Idaho took home $30 with a 15th-place finish at 72.