Tataurangi wins first U.S. PGA tour title
Agencies, Las Vegas
New Zealand's Phil Tataurangi won the first U.S. PGA Tour title of his career on Sunday after shooting a 10-under-par 62 at the TPC at Summerlin course to claim the $5 million Las Vegas Classic by one shot.
The 30-year-old finished the 90-hole event, which was played over three courses on the first three days, 29-under on 330 and earned a first prize of $900,000. Tataurangi also set a record by becoming the 15th first-time winner on the tour this season.
Australia's Stuart Appleby mounted a late charge, playing the last seven holes in six-under. But his putt for birdie and a tie on the 18th hole slid by, leaving him with a 28-under total of 331 along with American Jeff Sluman.
Jim Furyk, a three times winner here, also had a chance to tie Tataurangi on the final hole but missed the green and almost found the water. He chipped long and made a bogey to finish two shots back.
Former U.S. PGA champion Sluman could also have tied with a birdie at the 18th. However, his second shot was short and right and he had to settle for a par four.
South African Rory Sabbatini was fifth on 333. Overnight leader David Duval struggled for much of the day and finished on 334 along with Dan Forsman and Charles Howell III.
Tataurangi has won on both the Buy.com Tour and the Australasian Tour but his best finish in the United States had been a tie for second in the 1998 Michelob Championship. He had finished no higher than fifth this season.
In Napa, California, Tom Kite won his third title of the year on the Senior PGA Tour, shooting an even-par 72 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory in the Napa Valley Championship.
Kite, a 19-time winner on the PGA Tour who has six victories in three seasons on the senior tour, had a 12-under 204 total on the Silverado Resort's South Course.
Fred Gibson and Bruce Fleisher tied for second. Jim Thorpe, the 2000 winner, shot a 69 to finish at 10 under, and Hubert Green had a 64 - the best round of the day - to match Jay Overton, Tom Purtzer and Bob Gilder at 9 under.
In Mobile, Alabama, Se Ri Pak birdied four of the last five holes on Sunday to overtake Carin Koch and successfully defend her title in the Mobile LPGA Tournament of Champions.
Pak closed with a 6-under 66, eagling the par-5 fourth hole and taking control with four straight birdies on Nos. 14-17. She finished with a four-stroke margin over Koch and Catriona Matthew.
Annika Sorenstam fell short in a bid for her 10th LPGA Tour victory of the year, three-putting for bogey on the 18th hole for a 70 to tie for fourth - five strokes behind Pak.
Carin Koch, the leader after each of the first three days after opening with a career-low 62, shot a 73, while Matthew had a 68.
The Swede birdied the second hole, but bogeyed the second before Pak and Sorenstam made their moves. Sorenstam birdied Nos. 3 and 5, while Pak eagled No. 4.
Koch managed to hold onto the lead until Pak birdied the 14th to tie her. Pak birdied the 15th to take the lead for good.