Jacobs claims first senior major title

John Jacobs kept thinking about his older brother, Tommy, as he walked toward the 18th green at the Senior PGA Championship on Sunday.

Tommy Jacobs finished second to Ken Venturi in the 1964 U.S. Open, and lost to Jack Nicklaus in a playoff for the 1966 Masters. Big brother was supposed to win a major championship, but little brother accomplished the feat with a two-stroke victory over Bobby Wadkins at Aronimink Golf Club.

"I had a hard time keeping it together," Jacobs said. "Nicklaus beat him in a playoff and Venturi beat him in the Open, which he should have won. To have one of these major titles with the Jacobs name behind it, my brother would be very happy."

Jacobs birdied the 15th and 16th holes to pull away from Wadkins in the first major championship of the Champions Tour season -- two days after his brother Tommy missed the cut. The victory made Jacobs, 58, the oldest player to win a major title since 61-year-old Pete Cooper claimed the Senior PGA in 1961.

Bruce Lietzke and defending champion Fuzzy Zoeller tied for third, three shots behind Jacobs.

The winner, who finished at 4-under 276, seized control when he sank a long birdie putt on the par-4 15th to move to 3 under.

"I told my caddie I just wanted to lag it on the left, make par and get out of there," Jacobs said.

He then two-putted for a birdie on the par-5 16th to open a two-stroke lead over Wadkins, who three-putted for par on the 16th moments earlier.

"It wasn't the first time I three-putted, and it won't be the last," said Wadkins, the Senior PGA runner-up for the second straight year. "But it might have come at the worst time ever."

Jacobs started the fourth round tied with Wadkins, two strokes behind third-round leader Des Smyth. Smyth fired a course-record 65 in a third round that resumed Sunday after rain interrupted play Saturday, but shot 74 in the final round to finish in a tie for fifth with Doug Tewell at even-par 280.

Seiji Ebihara was 4 under and held a two-stroke lead when third-round play resumed Sunday, but two double-bogeys and three bogeys over the last 13 holes of the third round knocked him out of contention. He shot 75 in the third round and 72 in the fourth to finish at 285.

Divots:

•Jacobs earned $360,000 with the victory. It was his fifth win on the senior circuit since joining the Tour in 1995.

•Jacobs was on the PGA Tour from 1968 through 1980. He came in second three times -- his top finishes on the Tour.

•The victory moved Jacobs to the top of the Charles Schwab Cup point standings. The points leader at the end of the year will collect a $1 million annuity.

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