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Allen Doyle wins Senior
Slam
Allen Doyle, the former hockey player who owns a driving range in Georgia,
won the Senior Slam on Sunday by two strokes over Tom Watson.
Doyle held off an early charge from Doug Tewell and a late bid from Watson,
closing with a second straight 5-under 67 on The Slammer & The Squire course
at the World Golf Village.
He earned $300,000 in the unofficial event that featured the four winners of
the Senior Tour's major championships. Doyle also won the Senior Slam two years
ago.
``At the beginning of the year, if you asked people to come up with the top
five guys, I probably wouldn't have made that number,'' Doyle said. ``I'd probably
make the top 10 now.''
Doyle, who remained an amateur until he was 46, had 25 finishes in the top
10 and won twice this year, including the Senior Players Championship. He also
won the money title for the first time, donating a $1 million annuity to charity.
``It's a great story and Allen is a great player,'' said Watson, who had a
66 and won $150,000. ``He didn't miss many shots.''
Doyle opened with a 67 on Saturday and had a three-stroke lead going into the
final 18 holes, played under sunny skies with virtually no wind.
``You had to assume one guy would come out quick -- and Doug did -- and one
guy would come in the middle and one guy would come in the end,'' Doyle said.
Tewell, who won the Tradition, played the first five holes in 5-under to get
within a shot of the lead. He was one down at the turn, but played the back in
even par to close with a 67. He finished last at 138 and earned $50,000.
Bruce Fleisher, the U.S. Senior Open champion, had a 31 on the back nine for
a 65, the low score of the Senior Slam. He finished third at 137 and earned $100,000.
The biggest threat came from Watson, the Senior PGA Champion.
Three strokes back to start the final round, Watson got within one shot of
Doyle twice on the back nine, the second time with a birdie on the par-5 16th.
Watson missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole that would have tied
him for the lead, then three-putted from 30 feet up the ridge on the final hole.
``I predicted it would take double figures to win this tournament,'' Watson
said. ``I thought I needed a 65 today, and I was one off.''
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