Sun Oct 12 18:42:47 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Weibring wins first major at age 55

---

Timonium, MD (Sports Network) - D.A. Weibring claimed his first career major at the age of 55 with a two-under 68 on Sunday that gave him a one-shot victory at the Senior Players Championship.

Weibring held off Fred Funk, Ben Crenshaw, Nick Price and Jeff Sluman for his fifth Champions Tour victory overall and a $390,000 payday.

It all came down to a pair of clutch putts for Weibring -- a nine-footer for par at the 17th that he thought he'd missed until it went in, and a 48-footer he lagged to inches at the 18th to save another par.

He finished at nine-under 271, one shot ahead of Funk.

"I didn't play my best today, but I hung in there," said Weibring, who also won five times on the PGA Tour.

Funk finished ahead of Weibring with a 66 that pulled him within a shot at eight-under 272. But he will have to wait for that first big win in his home state.

"I really just enjoyed the walk," said Funk, who bounced back from a 72 on Saturday. "My whole attitude was different (on Sunday). I was going to have fun no matter what."

Price, the 54-hole leader, blew a chance to tie Weibring for the lead when he missed a three-foot putt for birdie at the 17th hole, a downhill wiggler Price called "a killer" afterward.

He finished with a bogey at the 18th hole and shot a one-over 71, sharing third place with Crenshaw (66) and Sluman (69) at seven-under 273. It was particularly disappointing considering Price had seen his one-shot overnight lead balloon to four strokes early in the final round.

"I didn't play well, pure and simple," said Price. "Every time the bell rings, I just lack self confidence or whatever it is."

Price won three majors on the PGA Tour, but is still seeking his first victory on the senior circuit. Sunday marked at least the seventh time this season he came close, but couldn't catch the eventual winner.

"If I was 35 I would really worry, but at 51 (years old) it will work itself out," said Price. "I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."

His four-shot lead came after a short birdie putt at the fourth hole, but Price's round took a downhill turn after that.

By the time he made back-to-back bogeys at the seventh and eighth holes, Price was tied for the lead with Weibring. And he fell out of the lead with another bogey at the 10th, where he missed a four-foot par putt.

Crenshaw made three consecutive birdies to join Weibring as the new leaders, rolling in an eight-foot putt at the 13th to get to eight-under.

But Weibring took over from there, making a seven-foot birdie putt at the 11th hole and rolling in a five-footer for birdie at the 12th to take a two-shot lead at 10-under par.

His advantage was trimmed to just a stroke when he missed a three-footer for par at the 13th, but Weibring was able to hang on down the stretch despite closing with five consecutive pars.

Of course, he received help from the other players too.

Crenshaw, for one, missed a four-foot birdie putt at the 17th that would have tied him for the lead. And Funk couldn't make a birdie after the 15th. But it was Price's miss at the 17th that was the biggest help, especially since it looked like Weibring might make a bogey there.

After knocking his tee shot into the fairway at 17, Weibring found himself in between a five- and six-iron. He tried to chip his five-iron up to the green, but hit it too hard and found himself looking at a slick shot from the rough.

Weibring pitched it nine feet past the hole -- the ball rolling most of the way -- leaving himself with a tough come-backer for par. And even he didn't think the ensuing putt was going in until it actually did.

"I guess that's what happens when it's your day," said Weibring.