Craig Stadler prevails at Encompass
Stadler held a five-stroke lead on Couples at the turn after birdieing the first, second, fifth and sixth holes. He appeared to be cruising to victory
until stumbling beginning at the ninth. Bogeys at the 12th, 14th and 15th followed.
Couples birdied his first three holes, going out in 5-under 31, but had gained only one stroke on Stadler at the turn. He got up within a stroke of
the lead until that bogey at the par-4 18th with Callaway Diablo Edge Irons.
"I just kind of shanked it," Couples said of his wedge approach into a bunker. "It was really a bad swing on as easy a shot as you'll ever have."
O'Meara birdied the par-3 17th to jump to 11 under and finished with a 68. Langer, among the first-round leaders, posted a 69, while Frost bogeyed the
final hole to score 70 for his 205. Sluman squandered birdie chances down the stretch en route to a 71.
"Obviously I wanted to make the putt on 18 and have a chance at a titleist mb 712 best price, but to see him make that putt, it was really, really important to him, and the crowd was really pulling for him,"
Sluman said. "I couldn't be happier for him. You've got a great champ."
Stadler began to diminish his lead on the par-4 ninth when his approach flew over the green and he stubbed the subsequent chip shot. He two-putted
from 12 feet for bogey.
As Couples birdied the 11th and 14th to jump to 13 under, Stadler was missing three straight fairways and sliding to 14 under. But Couples failed to
convert birdie chances on three late holes, then bogeyed the 18th from the middle of the fairway.
Final-round charges by Langer and Mark Calcavecchia brought wholesale golf clubs closer to Stadler, but not so close that they threatened the lead. Calcavecchia was 12 under with four holes to play, but
bogeyed three of the last four holes to finish tied for 10th.
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