Jenkins coasts to five shot victory

As six Navy jets roared overhead in tight formation, Tom Jenkins' latest Champions Tour victory didn't seem as important to him.

"It's hard not to think about the military and all the men and woman that are serving our country right now," he said. "Here we are playing a little golf tournament. It gets you to think about that, and how much we all should appreciate they're fighting for our freedoms."

Jenkins' victory in the Blue Angels Classic was his first on the over-50 circuit this year and the fifth of his career. He finished five strokes ahead of Rodger Davis with an 7-under 63 final round.

The eighth winner in as many Champions Tour events this year, Jenkins finished with a 14-under 196. Davis was at 201 while Gil Morgan, Jim Ahern and Wayne Levi tied for third another stroke back at 202.

The Blue Angels precision flying team, based at nearby Pensacola Naval Air Station, made two passes over the Moors Golf Club.

Jenkins' winnings include a trophy depicting a Blue Angels jet, $225,000 in prize money and an invitation to ride in the back seat of the one of the team's F/A-18 Hornets in February.

"Oh man, I tell you what, I hope I can muster up enough courage," Jenkins said. "That will be a thrill of a lifetime."

Morgan was the second-round leader and started the day a stroke ahead of Jenkins, who immediately caught up with a birdie on the par-4, 406-yard first hole. Morgan bogeyed the next hole to cede a one-stroke lead to Jenkins, who made par.

Jenkins never gave up the lead. He birdied four of the next seven holes while Morgan continued to shoot par. Only a bogey on the par-4, 426-yard 6th hole marred Jenkins' surge.

He took a four-stroke lead over Morgan going into the back nine.

Jenkins said after back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes he felt unbeatable.

"I had no concept of how many shots I had," he said. "I felt like get me on the green and I might birdie every hole coming in."

Morgan, the Champions Tour money leader, made only one birdie and finished with a 70 for the day.

Morgan, who won here in 2000, was bidding to become the first multiple winner on the Tour this year. He won the SBC Classic last month.

Davis, who started the final round tied for fifth, four strokes behind Morgan, shot a 5-under 65 for the day, including five birdies on the back nine.

The tournament, called the Emerald Coast Classic until renamed after last year's event, has never had a repeat champion in its 10 years.

Defending champion Bob Gilder got off to a good start, a stroke back of first-round leader Fuzzy Zoeller, but he faded to an even-par 210 finish. Zoeller finished with a 204.

Jenkins moved into the top 10 in the Charles Schwab Cup points standings with 387. Morgan widened his lead over second-place Tom Purtzer, 585 points to 537.

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