Nelson defeats Irwin in playoff

Larry Nelson needed a huge comeback -- and an extra hole -- to win his second Champions Tour event of the year.

Nelson rallied from seven strokes off the lead and made a 5-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to beat Hale Irwin and win the Administaff Small Business Classic on Sunday.

Nelson closed with an 8-under 64 and tied Irwin (67) at 14-under 202.

''Every so often, you get a gift,'' said Nelson, a three-time major champion and 10-time winner on the PGA Tour ``This was a gift.

``I shot a 64, but everyone in front of me didn't play that well. You don't think about winning when everyone has been shooting so low. Wayne (Levi) didn't play very good. If that doesn't happen, we've got to shoot 60.''

Nelson's rally matched the biggest comeback of year on the 50-and-over tour. Ed Fiori rallied from seven shots back to win the MasterCard Championship in Hawaii in January.

It was Nelson's 19th Champions Tour victory.

``My goal is to win 20, so I'm one away,'' the 57-year-old said. ``You never know what will be your last one but I've felt healthy so maybe.''

Peter Jacobsen just missed getting into the playoff. The U.S. Senior Open champion, who is recovering from hip surgery, made bogey at the 18th after driving into the water. He finished with a 67 and tied second-round leader Wayne Levi (72) for third at 203.

``I hit the water on the second shot,'' Jacobsen said. ``It's very disappointing but it was an aggressive play and I'd do it again. The object is to win and that's what I was trying to do.''

Morris Hatalsky (68), Jim Dent (69) and Jim Thorpe (69) finishing three shots back at 205.

In the playoff, Nelson and Irwin missed the green with their second shots into the par-5 18th hole. Irwin's shot settled on the fringe behind the green, while Nelson hit into a greenside bunker, about 50 feet from the pin.

Nelson chipped to within 5 feet, while Irwin left his putt 19 feet from the hole and then missed his birdie try. Nelson sealed the win by rolling in his birdie putt.

Nelson was 6 under par at the start of the round and, after four birdies and a bogey on the front nine, made his big move on the back. He birdied three of the first four holes on the inward nine and tied Jacobsen for the lead at 14-under before making bogey at the 17th. He rebounded with a birdie at No. 18, his sixth on the back nine, and watched as Irwin finished with a birdie to force the playoff.

``I was putting so poorly,'' Irwin said. ``It's almost not even worth talking about. A lot of guys had their opportunities. That was obvious coming down to the last few holes. I had my chances, oh, did I have my chances.''

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