Ames on target for first victory

Stephen Ames kept his word.

Winless in his first 165 career starts, Ames made good on the promise he gave his two young sons by winning the Western Open in Lemont, Ill., on Sunday. He shot a 1-under 70 to finish at 10-under 274 and win by two strokes.

“I promised them I was going to win the trophy at the beginning of the week,” Ames said, unable to suppress a smile. “This is their first week out on tour with me since Phoenix, and I told them, ‘Guys, I’m going to win this week for you.’

“And our dream came true.”

The first touring pro from Trinidad and Tobago fought to control his emotions over the final three holes, and he looked overwhelmed when fans at the 18th green greeted him with a standing ovation. After he putted out, he and his caddie — his brother, Robert — hugged.

Ames then walked to the edge of the green, crouched down and opened his arms, and his sons ran into his embrace.

“The last three holes, I was watching the leaderboard and it was tough,” he said. “I kept asking where my wife was because I wanted to make sure my boys were there to enjoy this with me, as well.”

Steve Lowery (70) was two strokes behind Ames. Though he missed out on his first victory since 2000, he did earn a trip to the British Open as the lowest finisher not previously exempt.

Northwestern alum and local favorite Luke Donald matched the best round of the day with a bogey-free 67, which put him in a tie for third with Mark Hensby (73) at three strokes back. Stuart Appleby (72) and Geoff Ogilvy (73) were four shots behind Ames in fifth.

Tiger Woods began the day with a chance to get his first stroke-play victory of the year, just four shots off the lead. But he couldn’t get his putts to fall, leaving several birdie chances within inches of the hole, and didn’t make his first birdie until the 15th hole. He shot an even-par 71, and finished tied for seventh.

Champions Tour

Jim Thorpe capped a 3-under 67 with an 18-foot par putt and beat three players by one stroke at the Long Island Classic in East Meadow, N.Y., to become the first player this year on the Champions Tour to defend a title.

The 55-year-old Thorpe won for the second time this year and the ninth time on the tour. He won the Farmers Charity Classic last month.

His 9-under 201 total was one shot in front of Bobby Wadkins (70), Andy Bean (67) and Wayne Levi (68).

Thorpe entered the final round four shots behind leader Jerry Pate but made three birdies on the front nine. His first bogey of the day came on the par-3 16th, but he followed that with an up-and-down birdie on the par-5 17th.

Wadkins, the 2001 champ, birdied 17 with a 6-foot putt to tie Thorpe. But he missed a par putt at the 18th.

Pate, who entered the final round of a tournament with a lead for the first time since 1981, had a 3-over 73. He had one bogey over the first 36 holes and made four in a front-nine 39 on Sunday.

European Open

U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen shot a 4-under-par 68 for a five-stroke victory at the European Open in Straffan, Ireland.

Goosen, who led by one shot after three rounds, finished at 13-under 275. Richard Green (66), Lee Westwood (71) and Peter O’Malley (70) finished at 280.

Goosen is the first player to win his first start after claiming a major since Tiger Woods in 2000 (PGA, NEC Invitational). Goosen earned $677,000 and $1.15 million at the U.S. Open — the total was more than he earned all last season.

Maarten Lafeber of the Netherlands (69) and Jose-Manuel Lara of Spain (73) shared fifth, six strokes back.