Allen Doyle wins after washout

Allen Doyle was declared the winner of the rain-shortened Bayer Advantage Celebrity Pro-Am on Sunday after thunderstorms swept through the Kansas City area the night before, making the course unplayable.

Doyle shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday to reach 13-under 131, beating Jerry Pate by one stroke.

"I know it's not the way Bayer and the tournament people wanted it to end, but I'm thrilled to be the champion," Doyle said. "It doesn't lessen it at all for me. In a couple of years, nobody will remember that it was shortened by rain.

"I'm not the first guy to win a rain-shortened event and I won't be the last. Although I would have liked to have played the final round, no one controls the weather."

This was his first win on the Champions Tour since winning the FleetBoston Classic last August.

"I'm thrilled to have won another golf tournament. My name is on the trophy."

Pate tied the course-record with a 7-under 65 Saturday to get to 12 under. He was looking forward to a shot at his first Champions Tour title. But he believes that won't be too far off.

"I think I can be an entity on the Champions Tour," Pate said. "I think I could have some fun. I'm feeling great about my game. I've been hitting the ball well and doing everything well."

Wind gusts of 75 mph and an inch of rain overnight left debris on the course. Tents were blown over, trees were down around the course, bunkers were littered with debris and several television towers were toppled. A total of 4.2 inches of rain has fallen on The National Golf Course during tournament week.

Tournament officials said that the earliest the course could have been ready for play was Monday.

"We didn't think we'd get yesterday's round in with the forecast, and fortunately we did," local tournament director Bob Burris said. "With the storm, there was no way. The front side had more debris than the backside. The towers were all turned over."

Doyle played almost bogey-free golf in his two rounds, avoiding a bogey until three-putting 17 on Saturday. But he birdied 18 with an 8-foot putt, giving him the one-shot edge over Pate.

Pate shot a bogey-free 65, which tied the course record. He made his charge with birdies on 5, 7 and 9 (his back nine). In fact, with three holes to go, he was down three strokes to Doyle. When he sank his 15-footer for birdie on 9, he was tied at 12 under.

But he didn't have a chance to see if he could make up that stroke. He decided to look at the bright side.

"I'm not disappointed at all, because I'm excited for Allen," Pate said. "Allen has had his run out here and he's older than I am (57 to Pate's 50). To be able to have a second life out on the Tour and to do so well, I'm happy for him.

"He played better than anybody else out here and he deserved to win. I know I've got more opportunities ahead of me."

Mark James, Bob Gilder, David Eger and Andy Bean finished four shots back.

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