Record playoff decides champ

Denis Watson wins Boeing Classic

Denis Watson eagled the second hole of a seven-man playoff on Sunday to win the Boeing Classic in Snoqualmie, Wash.

Playing No. 18 for the third time in an hour, Watson hit a 3-wood to about 18 feet, then made a 22-foot putt, giving an emphatic fist pump as the ball dropped to end the largest playoff in Champions Tour history.

Craig Stadler missed a long eagle putt from the front of the green, and R.W. Eaks missed his 12-footer for eagle.

Gil Morgan, Joe Ozaki, Dana Quigley and David Eger also finished at 9 under for the tournament after a wild final nine holes where the lead changed on almost every hole.

ALSO SUNDAY

SAFEWAY CLASSIC: Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa earned her vacation. She claimed her third straight LPGA Tour title with a five-stroke win in Portland, Ore.

Ochoa shot a final-round 71 for a 12-under 204 total and her sixth victory of the season. In-Bee Park (64), Christina Kim (69), Sophie Gustafson (75) and Mhairi McKay (72) all finished at 209.

"They keep saying, 'You should play, you can do four in a row,' " said Ochoa, who is taking a month off. "But it's time for me to go home. I'm very happy with my three wins."

The last player to win three straight tournaments was Annika Sorenstam in 2005.

Earlier in the day, captain Betsy King announced the U.S. Solheim Cup team that will defend its title next month in Sweden. The 12-person team members are: Juli Inkster, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, Pat Hurst, Cristie Kerr, Brittany Lincicome, Stacy Prammanasudh, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford, Sherri Steinhauer and captain's picks Nicole Castrale and Laura Diaz.

U.S. AMATEUR: Colt Knost won the 36-hole championship in San Francisco, holding off Michael Thompson 2 and 1 to win both of the nation's biggest amateur golf events in two months.

Knost, who played at SMU, is only the second golfer to win both the Amateur and the U.S. Public Links titles in the same year. Ryan Moore did it in 2004.

(The Associated Press)

PETE DYE CLASSIC: Jimmy Walker shot a 5-under-par 67 to rally from a seven-shot deficit and win the Nationwide Tour event in Bridgeport, W.Va., by one shot over Justin Hicks (64) and Matthew Jones (68).

Parker McLachlin, who led entering the final round, struggled mightily on the opening nine holes, going 5 over, and finished with a 77 to end up tied for fourth place with Tom Carter (67).

(Pgatour.Com)

NOTE

LANGER TO PLAY IN SAS EVENT: Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer, who turns 50 today, has committed to play in the SAS Championship, tournament organizers have announced.

Langer, a native of Germany and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, will make his Champions Tour debut this week in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. The SAS Championship, at Cary's Prestonwood Country Club, is Sept. 21-23.

(Staff Report)