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Sluman beats Gow in playoff

Jeff Sluman birdied the second playoff hole Sunday to defeat Paul Gow and capture the B.C. Open.

The players met on the 18th tee for the third time in 30 minutes for the second extra hole and Sluman found the fairway for the first time. Gow, who roped his last two tee shots at 18 down the right side of the fairway, hit his tee shot right into trees and immediately began walking down to his ball.

Gow did not reach his drive before stopping and seeing his ball hit a tree on the right side and travel across the fairway into water guarding the left side. His ball was partially above water so Gow played it from the creek and was able to advance it down the fairway.

Gow's third shot landed 12 feet left of the hole and Sluman played his second eight feet short of the cup. Gow missed his par save and Sluman, needing two putts for the win, holed his birdie try for the title.

"This one is very, very special to me," said Sluman, who pocketed $360,000 for the win.

Sluman broke into the winner's circle for the fifth time in his PGA Tour career and for the first time since the 1999 Sony Open in Hawaii.

"Five wins is great and hopefully I can make it six in the near future," said Sluman, who held the 54-hole lead in last week's Greater Milwaukee Open before shooting a final-round 72 to drop into a tie for 10th. "I'm glad it's all history. It didn't look good after my first playoff hole."

Sluman and Gow each shot rounds of six-under 66 to finish regulation tied at 22-under-par 266, one shot off Calvin Peete's 1982 tournament record.

The players went to 18 for the first playoff hole and Sluman missed the fairway right, as he did when the duo completed regulation. His approach landed in the left rough by the putting surface while Gow pulled his approach 25 feet left of the hole.

Sluman elected to putt from the rough and lagged his shot five feet short of the hole. Gow's effort to win his first PGA Tour title missed left as the putt never broke toward the hole.

Play in regulation went back and forth and both players were tied as they prepared to play the par-three 17th. Gow's eight-iron tee shot bounced in front of the hole but ran through the green to the back rough. Sluman choked down on a seven-iron and played his ball 10 feet short of the pin.

Gow chipped three feet short of the hole but Sluman stepped up and nailed his birdie putt to take a one-shot lead. Gow made it a two-stroke margin when he missed his short par save.

Sluman held a two-shot lead on the 18th tee and visited the right rough while Gow blew his tee down the fairway. Sluman flew his approach over the back of the green and Gow, knowing his only chance at a playoff was a birdie, spun his approach back to two feet to set up a good birdie chance.

Sluman pitched his third four feet from the cup but missed his par save on the right edge. Gow calmly drilled his birdie putt to match Sluman at minus-22.

Jonathan Kaye finished alone in third place at 19-under par after a final- round 67.

Jay Haas took fourth at 18-under 270. Steve Pate was next at minus-17.

Gow tied Sluman at the top of the leaderboard when he chipped in for birdie at the 12th but the tie was short-lived as Sluman ran home a long birdie putt at 13 to retake the lead.

Gow drew even with Sluman at No. 15 when his approach spun back to two feet and the duo was tied at 21-under. At the driveable par-four 16th, Gow missed the green short while Sluman blew his drive over the green into light rough. Both players played their second shots short but made their birdie tries.

Stephen Ames and Jim McGovern tied for sixth place at 16-under, followed by Brian Watts and second-round leader Brett Quigley, who tied for eighth at minus-15.

Ty Tryon, a 17-year old amateur who held a piece of the lead after the first round, posted a two-under 70 on Sunday and tied for 39th at nine-under 279.

"I know I could've shot a lot lower than that very easily," Tryon said. "I knew my game was a lot better than two-under the last three days. That's a little agitating. But that's the way it goes."

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