Irwin beats Morgan on final hole for Liberty Mutual Legends title

The veteran hadn't played in four weeks and was surprised with the win.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) -- Hale Irwin's back ached and he missed four weeks of playing time. So, he didn't have high expectations when he got back to the golf course.
Imagine his surprise Sunday when he won the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf at The Club at Savannah Harbor. Irwin shot a 1-under-par 71, beating Gil Morgan and Gary Koch by one stroke.
"I'm kind of at a loss here," said Irwin, winner of 59 titles, including 39 on the over-50 circuit. "I'm just trying to find the path through the forest. Today, I bumped into a couple of trees."
Yet he managed to win.
Ninth different winner
Irwin, the ninth winner in nine events this season, finished at 11-under 205 on the island layout in the middle of the Savannah River. Morgan, whose string of rounds at par or better this season was snapped at 23, bogeyed the final hole for a 73. Koch parred the final five holes for 71.
"I was rusty," said Irwin, who played in the final group with Morgan and Dave Barr. "So, I think playing with Gil all week was a blessing for me. He kept me in the game. As a result, I played above my expectations."
Unfortunately for Morgan, seeking his second title of the season.
"I'm playing pretty good," said Morgan, who won the SBC Classic last month in California. "But, the last two Sundays I haven't played as well as I'd like."
The tournament came down to the final hole, with Irwin and Morgan tied at 11-under.
Morgan, seeking his second win of the season, drove into a fairway bunker, 152 yards from the green.
"Gil's one of the few players in the field who can reach that bunker," Irwin said. "Maybe fortunately for me, I can't hit it that far."
Bogeyed final hole
Morgan blasted out but was still about 75 yards shy of the green. His third shot from a slight downslope to the par-4 hole stopped about 20 feet from the cup and he needed two putts to get down, handing the title to Irwin.
"I should have been a little smarter on a few shots," Morgan said. "If I had, I'd still be playing [in a playoff]. I think that was very critical to the outcome."
The finish was tighter than expected.
Irwin hit a 6-iron to inside 2 feet for birdie at No. 9, going to 13-under. That gave him a three-stroke lead over Barr, and four over Morgan.
But a stiff wind blowing up the river off the nearby Atlantic seemed to bother Irwin on the back side. He swung his club in disgust after a poor 2-iron into No. 12 landed in a greenside bunker.
The ball was nearly level with his knees and Irwin blasted it clear across the green. Two putts later, he was back to 12-under.
Morgan, meanwhile, birdied the 14th to pull within one at 11-under.
Irwin's meltdown continued with another bogey at the par-4 16th where his approach rolled off the back of the green and down a slope. He chipped back within 5 feet but missed that putt to fall into a tie with Morgan at 11-under.
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