Irwin wins for 34th time on SPGA

The best player in Senior PGA Tour history keeps getting better.

Three months before his 57th birthday, Hale Irwin added to his record victory total Sunday, running away from a humbled field to claim the Toshiba Senior Classic.

The 1998 champion finished a near-flawless week with a 6-under-par 65. He recorded a 54-hole total of 17-under 196, winning by five shots over reigning Player of the Year Allen Doyle.

"I've played well this year," said Irwin, who leads the money list with $735,500. "If I can keep this up, I think I can have a banner year."

The title was Irwin's 34th in seven-plus seasons on the tour and second in five starts this year. In his last four appearances, Irwin has finished no worse than second.

Doyle never shot higher than 68 but still never threatened Irwin over the last two days. His 12-under 201 total was a shot better than Dave Stockton and Michael Zinni.

Larry Nelson began the day in a tie for second, just three shots behind Irwin, but struggled to a 73 and tied for 15th at 207.

Nelson cut his deficit to two shots with a birdie at the first hole, but Irwin scrambled for par, sinking a six-foot putt after pitching past the hole.

"It set the tone for the day for me because Larry had made birdie on that hole," Irwin said.

Irwin was even for the day after a bogey at the fifth but made birdie putts of six, three and 25 feet on Nos. 6-8 as he began to pull away.

"I put some space between myself and the others when it got close," he said. "I kind of hit another gear. You have to be hungry enough to finish."

Irwin made six straight pars but finished in style. He birdied the par-5 15th and 18th around a 25-foot putt at the 16th.

"I pretty well sealed it at No. 16 with birdie," he said.

Irwin also sealed his status as the best player on the tour, a title many thought had passed him by with the emergence of Senior stars like Doyle, Nelson, Tom Kite and Bruce Fleisher.

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