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

Choi wins Chrysler Classic

The Associated Press

South Korea’s K.J. Choi won the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro (N.C.) Sunday for his third PGA Tour win, closing with a 6-under 66 for a two-shot victory over Shigeki Maruyama.

It was Choi’s first PGA Tour victory since 2002, when he won two tournaments during a breakthrough season. He finished with a 22-under 266 total, one stroke short of the tournament record set by Jesper Parnevik in 1999.

Maruyama shot a 67. First-round leader Charles Warren, who tied the Forest Oaks Country Club record of 62 before faltering a bit over the past two days, rebounded with a 65 to tie Brandt Jobe (67) and Jason Bohn (70) for third.

LPGA Tour

South Korea’s Hee-Won Han had a one-stroke lead with 10 holes to play when the final round of the Office Depot Championship in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., was suspended because of darkness.

The 54-hole LPGA Tour event on Donald Trump’s lavish new course along the Pacific Ocean will conclude today. Exceedingly slow play the first three days and a 3 1/2 -hour delay because of dense fog Saturday have plagued the tournament in its first year at Trump National.

Sunday’s suspension was the second in two days.

Han was 9 under through eight holes when play was called. She had a career-best 65 Friday for a share of the lead and added a 68 Saturday.

Scotland’s Catriona Matthew and France’s Karine Icher were tied for second at 8 under.

First-round co-leader Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., was tied for 12th at 5-under through 12 holes.

Champions Tour

Hale Irwin won for the fourth time this year to push his Champions Tour-record victory total to 44, capping a back-nine run with an eagle in a two-stroke victory over Tom Jenkins and Bob Gilder in the SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.

The 60-year-old Irwin played the back nine in 6-under 31 for a 6-under 66 and a 13-under 203 total on the Prestonwood Country Club course. He birdied Nos. 10, 12, 13 and 15 and reached 13 under with a 25-foot eagle putt from the collar on the par-5 17th.

Gilder closed with a 71, and Jenkins shot a 70.

Craig Stadler, the 2004 winner, shot a 69 to finish fourth at 10 under.

Dunhill Links Championship

Colin Montgomerie birdied the final hole to win the Dunhill Links Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, by a stroke, rallying from a five-shot deficit for his first victory in his home country since 1999.

Montgomerie closed with a 1-under 71 on the Old Course for a 9-under 279 total. England’s Kenneth Ferrie (77) was second.