Irwin wins at Turtle Bay, shoots into record book

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

KAHUKU — Hale Irwin has found golf heaven on earth, and history.

"I'm comfortable playing in the wind, comfortable here in Hawai'i," says Hale Irwin, seen here lining up a putt. "I've had too much success to say different." Associated Press

Irwin, 58, has proven he can win anytime, anywhere in the Islands. He captured this event twice on Maui, when it was the Ka'anapali Classic. After he won in 2000, it moved to O'ahu's North Shore and he's taken it all three times since.

"Turtle Bay is one of our better venues," Irwin said. "It has an assortment of shots. Even if there are other courses that have the same general physical characteristics, they don't have the trades to deal with. I think that separates players a lot of times. If you're playing well and hitting the ball solidly then you can make some advances.

"Fortunately I've been able to play well here. I'm comfortable playing in the wind, comfortable here in Hawai'i. I've had too much success to say different. I'm very glad. If the other players would let me mail it in next year I'd still come."

Irwin has also won a Hawaiian Open, MasterCard Championship and three unofficial Senior Skins here since 1981. After yesterday's $225,000 check, he has collected more than $3.5 million in Hawai'i.

Yesterday, Irwin chased down Kite, the second-round leader, with three birdies in his first four holes. Two of the best ball-strikers in golf history traded the lead for the rest of the drizzly day.

Graham Marsh (65) tied the tournament record and Bruce Summerhays (66) eagled the last hole to tie for third at 211, but from the fourth hole on the final day at the Palmer Course it was about Irwin and Kite.

Tom Kite now has four runner-up finishes and no wins this year. Associated Press

"The biggest difference today was the rain yesterday," Irwin said. "It softened up the greens just enough that those downwind shots weren't as impossible to hold the greens. With the wind down and that little bit of rain we had last night ...ÊWe had a 65 out there today. That could not have been shot yesterday, no way."

He seized the advantage for good with his sixth birdie of the day — an 18-foot putt at the 17th — to go 8-under. Moments later, the 16th hole got in the way of a very fast 40-foot putt by Kite, swallowing it for a birdie to put him 7-under.

Irwin played the final hole (539-yard par-5) conservatively, laying up with his second shot, hitting his third safely over the water hazard and onto the green, and two-putting for par to finish at 208.

That forced Kite to go for the green from 260 yards out with his second shot. With the fairway wet from the rain, Kite needed to hit his 3-wood 240 yards to carry the water hazard. He blasted it 239. It bounced off the rocks and right, the splash bringing the suspense to an end. He settled for bogey and second place at 72-210.

"I hit a solid shot but didn't get the height I needed and missed by a yard or so," Kite said.

Hale Irwin closed with a 5-under-par 67 to claim the first-place trophy and $225,000. Associated Press

Irwin has had a relatively routine year because of a bad back, which he hurt two weeks after winning in May. He has not played like a three-time senior Player of the Year since, though Irwin's definition of golf disappointment is different than most.

This was his 38th Champions victory. He hadn't finished better than 10th in more than four months until yesterday, and was taken off the course at the U.S. Open on a stretcher with back spasms.

"This certainly helps smooth over some disappointment from this summer with my back, not being able to play at the level I hoped I'd play," Irwin said. "This is the first week I've not had some issues with my back so perhaps ... it's certainly not 100 percent, but I'm well on the way now. It could not have come at a better place or better time for me."

Yesterday's win catapulted him from 11th to fourth on the money list, giving him a shot at finishing the season — there are two events left — in the top 10 for a record ninth straight year.

Jan Stephenson's saga ended with her first sub-80 round. The impact she had hoped to make as the first woman to play in an official senior tour event was lost in the controversy of her remarks to Golf Magazine.

Excerpts were published Friday and Stephenson weathered the ensuing storm all weekend, ultimately issuing a broad apology and admitting "I need to do whatever it takes to get everyone to realize I really, really regret this."

She closed with a 78 to finish tied for last with Bobby Mitchell at 26-over 242. When her self-induced ordeal was over, Stephenson wiped a tear from her eye and fell into the arms of her caddie/agent.

SHORT PUTTS: Three players have won the same tournament four consecutive years on the PGA Tour — Walter Hagen (PGA Championship) and Gene Sarazen (Miami Open) in the 1920s and Tiger Woods the past four years at Bay Hill. ... Sam Snead holds the record for most wins overall in a single event. He won the Greater Greensboro eight times from 1938 to '65. Snead was 52 for his final win.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.