Thursday, September 25, 2003
The 43-year-old won the 84 Lumber Classic by two strokes Sunday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
FARMINGTON, Pa. -- The PGA Tour's latest 40-and-over winner figures he's just getting started.
"I didn't get on tour until I was 35, so really, this is like the prime of my career," J.L. Lewis said.
The 43-year-old Kansan became the third straight 40-plus winner and ninth this year Sunday, closing with a course-record 10-under 62 for a two-stroke victory in the 84 Lumber Classic.
He also shot a 68 Sunday morning in the third round after the remnants of Hurricane Isabel pushed the second round back to Saturday, forcing a 36-hole finale.
"I've been through a lot of these tournaments and it's controlling your nerves, basically," Lewis said. "If you get yourself a chance to win, that's what it comes down to. I think the older players have done more of it."
Won 13 of first 40 events
Players 40-and-over have won 13 of the first 40 tour events this year, with 43-year-old Kenny Perry matching Singh as a three-time winner. Craig Stadler won the B.C. Open at 50, Peter Jacobsen took the Greater Hartford Open at 49, and Fred Couples, Kirk Triplett, Bob Tway and Scott Hoch also have victories.
Lewis finished at 266, 22-under for the tournament, and two shots in front of Frank Lickliter, Stuart Appleby and Tim Petrovic.
Lewis shot a third-round 68 on the rain-softened Mystic Rock course and was at 12-under, seven shots behind Cameron Beckman who, like Appleby, shot a third-round 64. Beckman shot a final round 74 to finish with a 17-under 271 and tie for fifth.
Beckman led by two shots over partner Robert Damron going into the second round. Damron finished with a 73, and tied for eighth with Craig Barlow at 16-under 272.
Champions Tour
CARY, N.C. -- D.A. Weibring used an eagle-birdie finish to spoil Tom Kite's fantastic comeback and win the SAS Championship.
Kite shot a career-low 61, rallying from 11 shots back to take the lead at 12-under midway through the final round of the Champions Tour event.
But Weibring, who began the round trailing by five, sank a 9-footer on No. 17 and sealed his first victory in his 10th senior start by making a birdie from 14 feet to cap a 6-under-par 66.
Weibring's 54-hole total of 13-under 203 was good enough to edge Kite and Bobby Wadkins by one shot.
German Masters
PULHEIM, Germany -- K.J. Choi of South Korea made two eagles and shot a 5-under-par 67 for a two-stroke victory at the German Masters.
Choi, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour last year, finished at 26-under 262 and earned $560,000 for the victory.
Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain shot a 4-under 68 and was second at 24-under 264. England's Ian Poulter (68) and Niclas Fasth (65) tied for third at 23-under.