Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mcgann Wins; Hanson Fourth

Associated Press

Golf

Michelle McGann made an 18-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole Sunday to win the LPGA Oldsmobile Classic in East Lansing, Mich., over Lisolette Neumann.

McGann made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to cap a 7-under-par 65 and force the playoff with Neumann, who also shot a final-round 65.

Tracy Hanson of Rathdrum, Idaho, the third-round leader, shot a final-round 70 and finished two strokes off the pace.

“It’s kind of fun to make that putt and win,” said McGann, who earned $90,000. “I have been hitting the ball well all year and not making any putts. This is such a crazy game, anything can happen. One week you are not scoring and the next week you make some putts and you’re in contention.”

McGann and Neumann, who started the final round of the $600,000 event three strokes behind Hanson, finished the four rounds at 16-under 272, one stroke ahead of Meg Mallon who tied a tournament record with a closing 63. Donna Andrews wound up three strokes back after a closing 66.

McGann, who has two other victories on the LPGA Tour, finished tied for 42nd at last week’s U.S. Women’s Open. Her previous best finish this season was a tie for third at the Ping/Welch’s Championship.

Hanson had a third-round 63 to take a two-stroke lead over Pat Bradley after 54 holes.

“I played well but I had two putts that hurt,” said Hanson, who missed two 5-foot birdie opportunities. “A couple of other players played real well today. I came back at the end and gave myself some opportunities, but it’s not my time yet.”

PGA

Ernie Els, with no one able to get closer than five shots, cruised to a wire-to-wire, eight-stroke victory in the Buick Classic in Harrison, N.Y.

Els shot an even-par 71 in the final round for a 72-hole total of 13-under 271.

His victory margin was the largest on tour since Davis Love III won by eight strokes at the 1993 Las Vegas Invitational. It also tied the biggest winning margin at the Buick Classic, set by David Frost in 1992.

Steve Elkington, Tom Lehman, Jeff Maggert and Craig Parry tied for second at 5-under 279.

Senior

Tom Weiskopf had a 2-under-par 70 for a tournament-record, 11-under 205 and a three-stroke victory in the Pittsburgh Senior Classic in Midway, Pa.

Weiskopf, who led from start to finish and earned $165,000, shaved two strokes off the record set by Bob Charles in 1993 in winning his second Senior PGA Tour event of the year.

Brian Barnes, who had a tournament-best 66 in the final round, and J.C. Snead, who closed with a 67, tied for second, one stroke in front of Bob Eastwood, who shot a 71 at Quicksilver Golf Club.