Cook rallies for win in Texas

John Cook came from behind with a four- under 68 Sunday to win the Administaff Small Business Classic to win by two strokes over Jay Haas and Bob Tway.

Cook, who won for the third time on the Champions Tour, finished the victory at 11-under-par 205.

"I thought 12-under would win," Cook admitted. "Wind was coming from a different direction and it was tricky. I've had trouble finishing events this year and I did that today."

Haas, the 2006 winner, was in the final group and could have forced a playoff with a birdie at the last, but closed with a bogey to card a one-under 71. He was joined at minus-nine by Tway, who shot 70 on Sunday.

Dan Forsman, the first- and second-round leader, was unable to overcome a triple-bogey on the par-three 14th on The Woodlands Country Club Tournament Course.

Forsman fell into a tie for fourth at eight-under-par 208. He ended alongside Tom Lehman (68) and two-time defending champion Bernhard Langer (69).

Everyone was chasing Forsman from the start. He birdied the first to extend his lead to two strokes. Forsman parred his next eight holes and during that stretch his lead went from two-up, to tied, to one-up.

Forsman birdied the 10th to move two clear of Cook.

For his part, Cook traded a birdie and a bogey from the first. Birdies on five, nine and 12 got Cook to 11-under.

Forsman bogeyed the 12th, but came right back with a birdie on No. 13 to get back to 11-under. However, he stumbled to a triple-bogey on the 14th to fall two behind Cook and Haas.

Cook parred four in a row from the 13th and was tied for the lead with Haas. Cook rolled in a 12-foot birdie effort on the 17th to grab a one-stroke lead. He then parred the last and waited to see if anyone in the final two groups could catch him.

"I had a great read off Bruce Lietzke's putt on 17," Cook admitted. "My original read was right edge, but I just trusted it to be a straight putt and it was."

Haas was even-par through 12 holes with a double-bogey and two birdies. He converted back-to-back birdie efforts on the 13th and 14th to join Cook at 10- under.

After three straight pars, Haas needed a birdie at the last to join Cook at 11-under and force a playoff. However, he faltered to a closing bogey to drop into a share of second with Tway.

"I got myself back in position after the double," Haas said. "I felt like I was going to make a birdie coming in, but 15 hurt me and the drive at 17 cost me too."

Tway birdied No. 5, but gave that stroke back with a bogey on 11. He birdied 13 and 14 to move to nine-under and had a chance to force a playoff, but could only par the final four holes to end two back.

Olin Browne (70), Russ Cochran (70) and Tom Watson (72) shared seventh place at seven-under-par 209.

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