Irwin clinches third straight Turtle Bay title

Hale Irwin had a profitable Sunday, clinching the $1 million Charles Schwab Cup bonus with his third straight win at the Turtle Bay Championship.

Irwin needed to finish no worse than fifth and have Bob Gilder place outside the top 10 to win the second-ever Charles Schwab Cup annuity. He got both.

The all-time winningest player in Senior PGA Tour history, Irwin sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Gary McCord at The Links at Turtle Bay Resort.

The win was worth $1.225 million - $225,000 for his 36th career Senior Tour victory and fourth this season.

"I still have some goals to attain," said Irwin, who went over the $2.8 million mark in official earnings this season. "I'd like to get to $3 million this year."

Irwin's triumph was his sixth in Hawaii and third in a row at Turtle Bay. Jack Nicklaus is the only player to win the same Senior Tour event four consecutive years.

On Sunday, Irwin failed to break 70 for the first time in his last nine events, but his 2-under 70 still was good enough to match McCord's 54-hole total of 8-under 208.

John Bland, Dick Mast and Mike Smith each finished a stroke out of the playoff at 209. Steve Veriato, Isao Aoki of Japan and Morris Hatalsky were another shot back.

Gilder tied for 11th at 213.

With Gilder unable to get in contention, Irwin cruised to the $1 million bonus. He has accumulated 2,710 Charles Schwab points this season, 318 more than Allen Doyle's winning total from last year.

Amazingly, Irwin also accomplished a personal first on the Senior Tour - winning a playoff. He was 0-for-5 in sudden death, losing three times this season.

"It's nice to win a playoff," he said.

Irwin began the day tied for the lead with Mast, Smith and Hatalsky but was the only one of the four not to make two Along the way, Irwin had a number of key par saves, getting up-and-down from bunkers at the fourth, fifth and 14th holes, finishing the run with a 12-footer.

"My experience playing on Sunday helped me in the end," he said. "The par putt at 14 was of particular importance. That helped me out there."

After parring each hole on the back nine, Irwin ended up tied with McCord, the colorful part-time TV analyst who also parred out on the back side.

"Today, I did not hit the ball close, I was relying on trying to make 40-footers for birdies," McCord said. "My stroke was pretty good today. I'm tired of trying to do both things."

McCord had four birdies on the front nine, finishing with three in a row. But he couldn't buy one on the back, including the par-5 18th, which he parred in regulation and during the playoff.

"My putt in the playoff just dug into the green and stopped," he said.

Irwin won with a 10-foot birdie putt.

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