ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, April 29, 1996 TAG: 9604290125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: GREENSBORO, N.C.
SOURCE: Associated Press
GOLFER AVOIDS LATE collapse and wins his second tournament of the year.
Mark O'Meara had every reason to think the worst while setting up for his putt on the final hole of the Greater Greensboro Classic on Sunday.
He had begun the hole by driving into the rough. Then he botched his iron shot, and by the time he got to the green, his caddie was in a state of mild anxiety. O'Meara, however, was not ready to panic.
``I told my caddie when I marked my putt, `Jerry, don't worry. I'm going to make this next one.''' O'Meara said. ``I poured it right in the middle.''
The 8-foot bogey helped him put the 18th-hole crisis to rest and escape with his second victory of the year. (Scores in Scoreboard. B4.)
``I like that challenge,'' O'Meara said. ``I left it short. I didn't hit the greatest first putt. But you know what, that's what it's all about, having that opportunity, an 8-footer to win the championship.''
O'Meara shot a 3-under-par 69 for a four-day total of 14-under 274. It was his first victory since winning the Mercedes Championship in January and his fifth victory in the last 13 months.
He got into position for the victory with a 10-under-par 62 Saturday, tying the mark set by Davis Love III in his 1992 triumph.
By winning this tournament, O'Meara earned $324,000 and hiked his annual winnings to more than $868,000. The victory also represented a 180-degree turn from his start in the tournament, in which he shot a 75 and faced the prospect of missing the cut.
For the second time in five years, Duffy Waldorf stared at a potential victory and blinked. He shot 71 for a 276 total, but not without a late challenge.
Waldorf didn't have to worry about the final three holes jumping up and biting him as they did in the third round. Coming into the last round, Waldorf had played Nos.16, 17 and 18 in 4-over.
This time, he was in trouble early, missing the green on the first hole and taking bogey. His troubles got worse when O'Meara holed a chip shot from the right of the green on the par-5 second hole for eagle and what became a three-shot swing over two holes.
O'Meara added a birdie at the fifth hole, and he saved a birdie on the par-5, ninth hole after his drive went into the woods. Waldorf bogeyed the eighth hole and birdied the ninth, but he was four shots back and running out of time at the turn.
``I think that was probably the first knockout punch, as far as my being in the tournament,'' Waldorf said of the ninth hole. ``Missing the short putt on eight for me and having him make birdie out of the trees on nine, those were two big holes. Now the holes are starting to wind down and now the pressure's on me to make a move.''
From there, it appeared the lone question would be which people behind the co-leaders would stage a final charge at Forest Oaks Country Club. There was no charge, but there was nearly a collapse as Waldorf fought back with two birdies on the back nine.
Steve Stricker was alone in third after his 67 gave him a 278.
Tom Lehman and Emlyn Aubrey were two shots behind the leaders before Sunday's round. Lehman collapsed to a 76 and 283, while Aubrey shot 72-279 for fourth place.
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Mark O'Meara cradles the trophy after winning theby CNBGreater Greensboro Classic by two strokes Sunday. KEYWORDS: GOLF