Hall's hopes washed away
Associated Press
LAS VEGAS (April 22) -- Bruce Fleisher ended a nearly nine-month winless streak Sunday, shooting a 2-under-par 70 for a three-stroke victory in the Las Vegas Senior Classic.
Fleisher had an 8-under 208 total, and earned $210,000 for his first victory since the Lightpath Long Island Classic last July 30. He has 12 victories in three seasons on the Senior PGA Tour.
"I had no doubt I could win again, but there are times when you doubt yourself," Fleisher said. "Hopefully, this will boost my confidence. I just need to make some putts."
Hale Irwin (70), Walter Hall (72), Jose Maria Canizares (70), Doug Tewell (71) and Vicente Fernandez (72) tied for second.
Hall moved within a shot of the lead with a birdie on No. 16, but hit his tee shot into the lake guarding the 17th green and wound up with a triple bogey.
Jerry McGee, the third-round leader who is winless in 240 senior starts, ballooned to a 77 to tie for eighth at 213. He had a double bogey and three bogeys on the back nine.
Fleisher took the lead for good with a birdie on the par-3 eighth hole. Hall, playing in the final group with Fleisher and McGee, got within a shot when he two-putted for birdie on 16.
But hitting his tee shot to the par-3 17th into a stiff left-to-right wind, Hall tried to hook the ball and hold it up in the middle of the green. He came over the top and his ball sailed left and into the water. After a bad chip, he wound up with a triple bogey and out of contention.
"The wind was blowing hard left to right on 17 and I'm a fader," Hall said. "I was trying to take it in the middle of the green and hook it to the hole. I pull hooked it, though. It was over then."
The triple bogey made things easy for Fleisher, giving him a four-shot lead. The tee shot on No. 18 is a difficult one over a canyon, but Fleisher didn't have to worry with the cushion between him and the rest of the field.
He wound up three-putting from 30 feet for a bogey, which was symbolic of the woes he had on the greens all week. He missed an inordinately high number of 3- and 4-footers, but he hit enough good shots in key situations that his putting woes didn't matter.
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