Kuehne & Sluman defend title

Hank Kuehne and Jeff Sluman birdied four of the last five holes and beat Justin Leonard and Steve Flesch by two strokes at the Franklin Templeton Shootout on Sunday.

Kuehne and Sluman joined Brad Faxon and Scott McCarron (2000, 2001) as the only repeat winners of the event.

Kuehne and Sluman combined for an 11-under 61 in the final round scramble at Tiburon Golf Club and finished at 29-under 187. That total was six shots better than last year, when they prevailed in a three-way playoff.

``We came in, I think, the same way we came in last year, just kind of loose, carefree,'' Sluman said.

Leonard and Flesch birdied the 18th to get to 27-under 189.

Mark Calcavecchia and Loren Roberts also closed with a 61 and finished third at 190. The father-and-son team of Jay and Bill Haas (61) made a run before faltering on the back nine and tying for fourth with host Greg Norman and Scott McCarron (62).

Leonard made a 35-foot eagle putt at the 14th, lifting his team into a tie for the lead, but Sluman countered with a 6-foot birdie putt to regain the lead.

``They played awful well,'' Leonard said. ``Steve and I didn't get in much of a rhythm today. We had some chances to get seven a couple of times, but we didn't play well enough on the front nine and then on the back we missed a couple of putts that we probably should've made.''

At the 15th Leonard and Flesch each missed an 8-foot birdie putt and a chance to tie.

``That was kind of a huge deal,'' Sluman said. ``After they missed it, I kind of said to Hank 'Christmas came a little early.' They didn't look like they were going to miss it.''

Flesch's birdie chip hit the pin at No. 16, and Sluman made a 9-footer for birdie.

Kuehne nearly holed a lengthy eagle putt at the par-5 17th, and Sluman tapped in the birdie putt for a two-shot lead with one hole remaining. Kuehne added a birdie at the 18th.

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