Irwin snatches title from Watson

Hale Irwin birdied two of the last three holes to pass Tom Watson and win the Senior PGA Tour ACE Group Classic by one shot on Sunday.

Irwin won $225,000 of the $1.5 million purse and added to his Senior Tour record with his 33rd career victory at The Club at TwinEagles. The 56-year-old Irwin also passed the $20 million mark in combined earnings on the regular and Senior tours.

Irwin, the 1997 champion, had a two-shot lead going into the par-4 No. 18, but put his drive in a fairway bunker and had to lay up. The 52-year-old Watson hit a good tee shot, but put his approach 40 feet from the pin.

Irwin then barely cleared the water next to the green, with his ball stopping on the fringe 40 feet away. Watson's long birdie putt went 6 feet past the cup. Irwin knocked his putt within 4 feet, and, after Watson parred, sank the putt for bogey for the win.

Watson, trying to win in Florida for the first time on either tour, had a one-shot lead with three holes to play, but bogeyed the par-5 No. 17 after hitting his second shot in the water trying to go for the green in two. Irwin made a 10-footer for birdie on the par-3 No. 16 to tie Watson, and another on the par-4 No. 17 for a two-shot advantage.

Dana Quigley was tied with Irwin and Watson with seven holes to play, but parred six in a row, then bogeyed No. 18 to fall to a tie for fifth at 13-under.

Jim Dent, Jim Thorpe and Sammy Rachels all got within striking distance, but couldn't get closer than two shots. Dent and Thorpe tied for third at 14-under, with Dent's 66 tying the best of the day. Quigley, Rachels and 1999 winner Allen Doyle tied for fifth.

Watson won $132,000 for placing second. He tied for second in 2000, losing in a four-way playoff to Lanny Wadkins.

Ben Crenshaw, in his Senior Tour debut, finished at 1-under-par, shooting a 72. He struggled to a 76 in the first round, but came back with a 5-under 67 on Saturday. In the final round, he bogeyed No. 3, birdied No. 7 and parred the final 11 holes.

Irwin joined Lee Trevino (1990-91), Mike Hill (1993-94) and Gil Morgan (1998, 2001) as two-time champions.

Skies were dark most of the day before brightening later in the afternoon. There were a few brief showers, but play was never interrupted. Tee times were delayed by 20 minutes due to morning fog.

The course played more difficult, with only 21 players breaking 70, half of Saturday's total.

Quigley created a three-way tie with Watson and Irwin with a birdie on No. 11. The finish was his fourth in the top 10 in five years in the event. He was second last year and tied for sixth in 2000.

Irwin grabbed the lead for the first time on No. 6 after his third straight birdie and a bogey by Watson.

Irwin took a two-shot lead with another birdie on No. 7, but then double-bogeyed No. 9, hitting into a greenside bunker, then hitting over the green into another bunker. He eventually got on the green and two-putted for a six. Watson three-putted from 30 feet for bogey, leaving Irwin ahead by one.

John Jacobs finished tied for 60th, but remained in first place in the Charles Schwab Cup points race with 372 points. Tom Kite is in second with 322, while Irwin jumped to third with 225. The season-long race culminates with the winner receiving a tax-deferred $1 million annuity.

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