CARNOUSTIE, Scotland — Bernhard Langer won his first senior major title on Sunday, holding off a final-round challenge from Corey Pavin for a one-stroke victory in the Senior British Open.
The German shot a 1-over 72 at Carnoustie to finish at 5-under 279. Pavin ended with a 1-under 70.
“I have always wanted to win the British Open,” Langer said. “I didn’t. Now this is the next best thing.”
Pavin, the American Ryder Cup captain, trailed by three shots at the start of the fourth round but cut the gap to two when he birdied his second hole of the day.
Langer survived three putting both the 8th and 9th greens. After making birdie at 15, he parred his way to his 11th victory in three years on the Champions Tour.
“This victory ranks very high and it’s pretty close to my two U.S. Masters titles and some of my Ryder Cup stuff,” Langer said.
Pavin finished three strokes ahead of Americans Fred Funk, Jay Don Blake and Russ Cochran and Australian Peter Senior.
“It’s tough when you almost win,” Pavin said. “Bernhard didn’t play his best golf today but he did what he needed to do and that’s what it’s all about.” PGA TOUR
Pettersson rallies
TORONTO - Carl Pettersson rallied to win the Canadian Open on Sunday for his fourth PGA Tour victory, closing with a 3-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Dean Wilson.
Pettersson, who set a tournament record with a 10-under 60 in the third round, finished at 14-under 266 at hilly, tree-lined St. George’s.
Wilson, 40, playing on a sponsor exemption, shot a 72 after opening with three consecutive 65s to take a four stroke lead into the final day.
Pettersson trailed Wilson by seven shots after seven holes but caught and passed Wilson by making six birdies on the next eight holes while Wilson played the same stretch 2 over par. A 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th pulled Pettersson within one. He took the lead with a 25-footer from the fringe on the 480-yard, par-4 14th.
Wilson bogeyed 14, hitting into the thick rough to the right of the green, chipping through the putting surface to the opposite fringe and missing a 15-foot par try.
Pettersson, the 32-year-old former North Carolina State player from Sweden, pulled away on the par-5 15th with his third consecutive birdie and fourth in five holes, hitting a wedge to 4 1 /2 feet. Wilson’s approach trickled into the back fringe and his birdie try came up 2 1 /2 feet short.
Pettersson parred 16 and 17 and bogeyed the 18th, missing a 5-foot par putt after Wilson putted out for his fourth consecutive par.
Luke Donald (66) was third at 12 under.
Conway’s Bryce Molder (70) finished 10th at 10-under 270 and earned $165,750. Molder is 49th on the PGA Tour money list ($1,215,033) and ranks 44th in FedEx Cup points (681). Little Rock’s Glen Day (69) finished 5-under 275 and made $19,890. Day ($121,052) is 195th on the money list and 189th in points (111). John Daly, who made the 36-hole cut but did not qualify for the final round, earned $9,384. Daly is 200th on the money list ($111,769) and 204th in points (70).
LPGA
Jiyai Shin wins by 1
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France - Jiyai Shin of South Korea birdied the 18th hole to win the Evian Masters on Sunday, shooting a 5-under 67 to finish at 14 under and one stroke ahead of Morgan Pressel, Na Yeon Choi and Alexis Thompson.
The 22-year-old Shin became the first South Korean to win the Evian Masters and earned $487,500 for the win. She now has seven LPGA Tour victories in two years, winning her first at the British Open in 2008.
Conway’s Stacy Prammanasudh (71) finished at 2-under 286.
PGA EUROPEAN
Local favorite wins
STOCKHOLM - Richard Johnson of Sweden won the Scandinavian Masters on Sunday, making a 30-foot birdie putt at the last hole to shoot a 1-under 71 and finish a stroke clear of Rafa Echenique of Argentina.
Johnson, who shared the overnight lead with South Korea’s K.J. Choi, finished with a total of 11-under 277 at Stockholm’s Bro Hof Slott.
Echenique made four birdies in a 69, while Edoardo Molinari of Italy (69) was a shot further back in third. British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen finished tied for fourth at 8-under 280.
NATIONWIDE
Brigman tops Lovemark
COLUMBUS, Ohio - D.J. Brigman shot a 7-under 64 and won by one stroke over Jamie Lovemark in the Children’s Hospital Invitational.
Brigman finished at 10-under 274. He collected $144,000 with the victory, vaulting from No. 47 to No. 6 on the money list with 13 tournaments left in the 2010 season. Players who finish the season among the top 25 in money earnings receive a PGA Tour card.
Lovemark (66) finished at 9-under 275 and jumped to No. 1 on the Nationwide money list with $338,701.
Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot 67 to finish tied for fifth at 6-under 278. Ridings earned $23,200, moving from ninth to seventh on the money list. Scott Gardiner (Farmington) shot a 73 to finish at 2-under 282, earning $6,768. Gardiner moved from 57th to 54th on the money list. Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) shot a final round of 72 to finish at 4-over 288. Duke earned $2,520 but dropped from 100th to 101st on the money list.
Sports, Pages 20 on 07/26/2010