Jenkins claims title for second time

For Tom Jenkins, the winning formula is simple -- get sick before the tournament.

On Friday, Jenkins battled the flu. On Sunday, the 54-year-old Houston native put the finishing touches on his second Canada Senior Open title in three years.

Jenkins recorded a final-round 7-under par 64 at the Essex Golf & Country Club that included four straight birdies on Nos. 10-14 and posted a three-shot victory over Walter Morgan, Morris Hatalsky and Bruce Lietzke. He claimed his third career win on the Senior Tour, posting a 54-hole total of 18-under 195.

Two of those victories have come north of the border. Two years ago, Jenkins captured his first Canada Senior Open crown after nearly withdrawing 10 minutes before the first round with the flu.

"I will probably have to adopt Canada as my second home," he said. "I look forward to one more win so I can officially get into the Legends."

Bob Gilder was alone in fifth place at 200 after also carding a 64. Tom Kite was another stroke back, while seven players tied for seventh at 203, including defending champion Walter Hall, Doug Tewell, Allen Doyle, Hall Irwin and Gar Hamilton, the top Canadian finisher.

The 61-year-old Morgan carded a 6-under 65 after tying a PGA Senior Tour record with a 60 on Saturday. He started the final round two shots behind co-leaders Jenkins and Hatalsky.

After birdying the first three holes, Morgan was thinking about matching Saturday's round. He eventually cooled off but played the final 36 holes in a remarkable 17-under par.

"I thought I could shoot 60 again today with the way I started," he said. "I made 23 birdies this week, that's a lot. I've never done this back-to-back. I was in a groove the last two days. I just read the greens well and had my stroke."

Jenkins ended Saturday's round with a three-putt for bogey that dropped him into a tie for the lead with Hatalsky but like Morgan, he started the final round with three straight birdies. He sank a 10-footer on No. 1, a four-footer on No. 2 and a three-footer on No. 3.

"I didn't feel great about three-putting the last hole yesterday," Jenkins said. "I got off to a fast start. I felt comfortable early on."

Jenkins parred the five holes but gave back a stroke with a three-putt on the par-4 ninth hole and made the turn at 2-under.

"That was a two-stroke swing at No. 9," he said. "It would have been easy to get down on myself."

But Jenkins caught fired after two-putting for birdie from 80 feet on the par-5 10th hole. He sank birdie putts on 15 and 25 feet on the next two holes, than two-putted for another birdie on No. 13.

Still, he felt the key to the round was a par-saving 15-foot on No. 14.

"The putt at 14 was what probably won the tournament," he said. "If I would have missed that, there's no telling what would have happened. Out here, you try and keep the wheels from falling off."

Jenkins drained a difficult 25-foot putt at No. 16 for the last of his eight birdies, then closed out the win with pars on the last two holes.

"The putt I made at No. 16 probably broke about six feet," he said.

Morgan got to 4-under with a birdie on No. 10 but a double-bogey on No. 11 proved to be his undoing. Four straight birdies on Nos. 13-16 were not enough to catch Jenkins.

Still, Morgan overcame a first-round 73 to post his best finish since finishing second at the 2001 TD Waterhouse Championship in Kansas City.

"I wish I could have the first round back," he said. "I hit the ball good but just didn't make anything."

Lietzke briefly gained the lead after holing a five-foot eagle putt on No. 10 but he played the final eight holes in 1-over par.

"My downfall was not making a birdie after No. 10," he said. "Starting out my number to get to was 20-under. After my eagle, I could never make another birdie."

Bill Kratzert tied for 53rd in his first Senior Tour event, finishing 54 holes at even-par 213.

Tom Wargo accomplished a rare feat as he eagled the par-5 13th hole in all three rounds. He played the 13th in 6-under but was 1-over on the other 51 holes.

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