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Hoch out duels Love to claim win

Scott Hoch survived a final-round showdown with Davis Love III to earn the title at the Western Open on Sunday. The 45-year- old Hoch saved par out of a bunker at the 72nd hole for a one-stroke victory and a tournament-record total of 21-under-par 267.

Love, who also knocked his approach into a greenside trap at Cog Hill's par- four finishing hole, blasted his third shot 10 feet past the hole. His bid for a closing par tailed off to the left of the cup, leaving Hoch with a two-foot putt to secure his second win of the season.

Love started with a one-shot lead over Hoch and led for most of the final round. But he missed his first green of the day at the 16th then bladed his chip into a bunker on the other side of the putting surface. Love got up and down for a bogey that dropped him into a tie for the lead with Hoch at 20- under.

At 17, Hoch's wedge shot from 130 yards landed just five feet from the pin to set up a birdie. Although Love's huge drive left him with a much shorter approach, his ball landed 20 feet to the left of the hole.

Love then rolled in the long putt to match Hoch at 21-under par.

After Hoch found the fairway at the 18th, Love sent his drive way left toward the hospitality tents. He did well to avoid a looming tree with his second shot out of the rough from nearly 200 yards, but drew a difficult lie in the back right bunker that called for a long blast to a downhill pin placement.

Hoch missed the wide open green with his six-iron, his ball falling into a bunker protecting the right side. His next shot was a beauty that came to rest within two feet of the cup.

Love's third had the direction but it almost rolled off the front of the green. He two-putted for his second bogey over the last three holes to finish with a six-under 66.

Hoch fired a bogey-free, eight-under-par 64 Sunday to beat the 72-hole record by one stroke. Sam Snead recorded a total of 268 in the 1949 Western Open at Keller Golf Club in St. Paul, Minnesota, a mark matched by Chi Chi Rodriguez in 1964 at Tam O'Shanter Country Club in Niles, Illinois.

The previous record at Cog Hill's Dubsdread course was 269 by Nick Price in 1993.

Canadian lefthander Mike Weir turned in a 67 for a share of third place with Brandel Chamblee, who closed with a 69. They finished eight shots back at 13- under 275.

Rory Sabbatini and Jerry Kelly each had 67s to tie for fifth at minus-12.

Tiger Woods shot one-under 71 and tied for 20th place at eight-under 280. He has finished out of the top-10 in his last three starts, something he hasn't done since 1998.

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