Cook gains first win for three years

John Cook shot an 8-under-par 64 and took advantage of a late triple-bogey by leader Jerry Kelly to win the $3 million Reno-Tahoe Open today for his first PGA Tour victory in three years.

Cook started the day six strokes off the lead but had a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie stretch as part of a 30 on the front nine at the Montreux Golf & Country Club near Lake Tahoe.

His 17-under 271 total was one stroke better than Kelly, who had a one-stroke lead with three holes to go in search of his first tour win.

But Kelly missed the green left in the rough on the 163-yard, par-3 16th. He then mis-hit two chips and later lipped out a 4-foot putt for a triple-bogey 6.

He had a chance to birdie the 636-yard, par-5, 17th, but was fooled by the break on the same 8-foot birdie putt Cook missed.

Kelly then came within about 4 inches of holing out from the fairway for an eagle on the par-4 18th that would have forced a playoff. But he had to settle for a 4-foot birdie putt for a 71.

Two promising 22-year-olds were third and fourth after closing with 71s.

Bryce Molder finished at 273, one stroke better than Charles Howell III.

Justin Leonard shot a final-round 66 to tie for fifth with Duffy Waldorf (68) at 13-under 275. Tim Herron, J.P. Hayes and Dan Forsman all had 69s and were at 276.

The 43-year-old Cook, who described himself earlier this week as a ``crusty veteran,'' shot a 64 in the second round but had a 74 Saturday and had made reservations to fly out of Reno an hour after his round was to end to have dinner with his daughter in Los Angeles.

Instead, he was on the 18th green accepting the tournament trophy and a first-prize check for $540,000, the first time he's done that since he won the Byron Nelson Classic in 1998.

Cook, who has won 11 times on tour, entered the tournament 28th on the career money list with $8.7 million but has topped the $1 million mark only once in the last 10 years.

In 1992, he was second in the British Open and tied for second at the PGA Championship. The next year he tied for sixth at the PGA and in 1994 he tied for fifth at the U.S. Open and tied for fourth at the PGA.

He's won $420,000 on tour this year, 89th on the money list, with his best showing before Reno being a tie for fourth at the Shell Houston Open in April.

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