Thorpe gains back to back wins

Jim Thorpe is having the time of his life. Although his timing could be better.

Thorpe won his second straight Senior PGA Tour title, shooting a 6-under-par 66 today for a two-stroke victory over Ed Dougherty in the Gold Rush Classic.

"I'm playing so well right now I wish it was early March," said Thorpe, who took the lead for good Saturday with a course-record 10-under 62.

Thorpe, 51, who won The Transamerica last week for his first senior title, finished with a 21-under 195 total, the lowest score this year. He also set a tournament record last week.

"I played my game, played the golf course, and tried not to do anything stupid," Thorpe said.

"It was my tournament to win. But it's kind of tough with a three- or four-shot lead. Sometimes you do things you normally don't do. I didn't really attack the back nine."

Thorpe, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, became the first senior player since Gibby Gilbert in 1992 with sub-200 scores in consecutive weeks. Thorpe broke David Graham's record of 199 set last year on the Serrano Country Club course.

Thorpe's 21-under total is the lowest on the Senior PGA Tour since Gil Morgan in 1998. Thorpe earned $165,000, the largest of his professional career, and joined Larry Nelson as the only player to win consecutive tournaments this year.

Dougherty also shot a 66.

"He's pretty confident,'' Dougherty said of Thorpe. "I don't remember him missing too many greens. He played absolutely fantastic. I enjoyed today, I just came out on the short end of the stick."

Thorpe made a good par save on the first hole, perhaps the closest he came all day to a bogey. He birdied the next hole, making a 9-foot putt. Thorpe then birdied three straight holes, taking a four-stroke lead by the turn.

"I put my game on the fairway and on the greens,'' Thorpe said. "I made some pars, made a few birdies and stayed three or four shots ahead most of the day.''

Thorpe birdied Nos. 15 and 16 to protect his lead.

Jacobs had the day's best round, a 9-under 63, to finish four strokes behind Thorpe. Jacobs had a stretch of nine birdies in 11 holes.

"I started slowly and then whammo, it came like sun drops out of the sky," Jacobs said. "One more day and I think I would have got him."

Stewart Ginn was fourth after a 67.

Nelson, the tour's leading money winner, was never in contention the entire tournament. He shot a 67 and finished eight strokes back.

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