Beem celebrates in Colorado (Allsport).
Click here for more golf news
Rich Beem survived an incredible run by Steve Lowery to win The International
for his second title on the PGA Tour.
In an event that employs the seldom-used modified Stableford scoring system,
Beem gained 19 points to finish just one off the tournament's single-round
record but then had to wait nervously as Lowery powered home in Colorado.
Lowery picked up 14 points in a four-hole stretch on the back nine, making
birdie from the water at the par-five 14th, holing an eagle from the fairway at
the par-four 15th and sinking an incredible double-eagle at the par-five 17th.
The 1994 International champion, Lowery crept within a point of Beem when his
second shot at the 17th took three bounces and dropped into the hole for the
tournament's first albatross in 10 years.
He could have won the event with a birdie at the 18th hole, but he narrowly
missed a 12-foot putt.
Having looked on in disbelief after signing his scorecard, Beem held on for
the one-point victory.
He finished with 44 points, four shy of the tournament record set by Phil
Mickelson in 1997.
A former cellphone and car stereo salesman, Beem earned his first win since
the 1999 Kemper Open.
Collated final scores (USA unless stated, Par 72)
(NB: The tournament uses a Modified Stableford scoring system that rewards
aggressive play. Points are awarded as follows: double-eagle +8; eagle +5;
birdie +2, par 0, bogey -1; double-bogey or worse -3):
+44 Rich Beem
+43 Steve Lowery
+33 Mark Brooks
+27 Greg Norman (Aus), Ernie Els (Rsa), Lee Janzen
+25 Frank Lickliter II, Craig Barlow
+23 Tom Lehman, Craig Perks (Nzl)
+22 Heath Slocum, Ian Leggatt (Can)
+21 Brian Watts
+20 Craig Stadler, Glen Day, Chris Riley, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus)
+19 Sergio Garcia (Spa)
+18 Billy Mayfair, Charles Howell III
+17 Phil Tataurangi (Nzl), Dudley Hart
+16 John Rollins, KJ Choi (Kor), Fred Couples, JJ Henry
+15 Bob Tway<
+14 Jerry Smith
+12 Jeff Quinney
+11 Vijay Singh (Fij), Robin Freeman, Rory Sabbatini (Rsa), Esteban Toledo
(Mex), Jay Haas
+9 Steve Pate
+8 Rod Pampling (Aus), Steve Stricker
+7 Rafael Gomez (Arg)
 E-mail Article  Print-Friendly
 Subscribe to RSS Feed
 Post to del.icio.us
 Facebook
Click here to send us your sporting feedback
|
