Even after six
victories in his rookie season on the Senior PGA Tour, Bruce Fleisher still can't
figure it out.
"All
I can say is 'Wow,' " Fleisher said today after a 5-under 67 gave him a one-stroke
victory in the $1.1 million Transamerica seniors event.
"I
feel pretty darn privileged. I haven't had time to sit back and analyse what I've
done. It's hard for me to grasp what I've really done. I don't see it as a gigantic
phenomenon."
Fleisher's 17-under 199 was a tournament record and the first prize of $165,000
put him over the $2 million mark this year and kept him atop the Senior PGA Tour
money list. He has won all four tournaments in which he has been in sole possession
of the lead going into the final round.
Fleisher played in 408 PGA Tour events between 1972-98, winning one tournament,
in 1991. He earned just over $1.6 million, never more than $250,000 in any one
year.
"I just think
I got better with age," Fleisher said. "At least this moment in time. Maybe I
wasn't ready to handle it before. That other tour is work. This is more fun."
Allen Doyle, who is also
a tour rookie, closed with a 66 and earned $96,800 for second place, keeping him
third on the money list behind Hale Irwin. Walter Hall had a final-round 67 and
was third at 202.
"After
six holes or so we were all in trouble," Doyle said. "He comes out and birdies
four of his first six holes. He eliminated all but a couple of guys. We didn't
have to worry about somebody coming out of the pack."
Hubert Green shot a 6-under 66 to finish fourth at 203, two strokes better than
Gary McCord, who had a 66, Al Geiberger (68) and Mike McCullough (68).
Doyle birdied No. 16 to
break out of a tie for second with Hall and move within a stroke of Fleisher but
could never catch him.
On 17, Doyle had a putt lean over the hole, but not fall in. On 18, his second
shot hit a tree branch and sailed over a scoreboard and landed near a golf cart.
"There's nothing you can
do after the fact," Doyle said. "On the 18th I was trying to make something happen
and it worked against me."
Fleisher, the U.S. Amateur champion in 1968, is only the second rookie to earn
over $2 million, joining Gil Morgan, who did it in 1997.
"I
was pretty tight all day," Fleisher said. "I just tried to keep calm, keep smooth.
I got off to a wonderful start and that helped. I could have put it away earlier,
but I realised they were chasing me. I was patient."
Bob Murphy shot today's best round, a 65, to climb into a tie for 11th with a
207. He started the final round tied for 27th.
Defending champion Jim Colbert finished with a 3-under 69 for a 207 total. Irwin
shot a 1-over 73 and was at 219.
