Golf Roundup: Watson outlasts Smyth at Seniors Open in Scotland

Smyth started Sunday’s final round three strokes behind Watson, but drew even at the eighth hole, where he sank a long putt for birdie. There were five birdies on his card Sunday, offset by just one bogey, as he shot 67 to finish level with Watson at 280 after 72 holes.
Smyth and Watson replayed 18 twice in hopes of settling the standoff, but matching pars required them to soldier on. Smyth then found a pot bunker at 17, which spelled the beginning of the end. He blasted out to 20 feet from the pin, then needed two putts for bogey. Watson, meanwhile, got up and down for par to write the final chapter. Smyth’s cards for the four days read 73, 72, 68 and 67.
Mark McNulty wasn’t far behind in eighth place at 288 (76-72-72-68). Eamonn Darcy grabbed a share of 29th place at 296 (78-74-78-66), with Denis O’Sullivan in 36th at 298 (76-77-72-73). Behind them came amateur Adrian Morrow, tied for 46th place at 301 (79-78-71-73), and Christy O’Connor, Jr., in joint 68th at 306 (81-73-75-77).
Paul Leonard, 158 (80-78), missed the cut by a stroke. Also missing from weekend action were Ken Hall, 159 (80-79), and T.W. Murphy, 175 (88-87).

EUROPEAN TOUR
Peter Lawrie suffered no ill effects from his British Open experience, in which he failed to make the cut. He came back to grab a share of fifth place in the Deutsche Bank Players Championship of Europe at Gut Kaden in Hamburg, Germany. A second-round 65 propelled Lawrie as high as second place, although he could climb no higher as Niclas Fasth stood atop this heap with his 274. Angel Cabrera matched him, but lost the playoff.
Lawrie finished at 277 (71-65-70-71). Interestingly, he suffered only one bogey over the 36 holes. However, the birdies were slow in coming and he had only two on each of the final two days.
Leading the rest was Graeme McDowell, whose 284 (69-72-70-73) earned him a share of 27th position. Padraig Harrington tied for 40th place at 286 (70-71-76-69), while Paul McGinley contented himself with a slice of the 47th slot at 288 (70-72-72-74). Damien McGrane’s 292 (71-71-74-76), landed him in a tie for 52nd place. Gary Murphy was out after 36 holes, his 144 (73-71) two strokes too high.

NATIONWIDE TOUR
Another week, another check for Keith Nolan. Last week found him in the Canadian PGA Championship at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge, Ont., where he worked out a tie at 37th position, which was good for $2,115. He fired a 4-under-par 284 (69-71-73-71), leaving a 15-stroke deficit to champion Jon Mills.

EUROPRO TOUR
Justin Kehoe’s game underwent a positive attitude adjustment in the Swallow Suffolk at Suffolk Golf & Country Club in Bury St. Edmunds, England. Somewhat ineffective in Challenge Tour events this year, he found a groove here that saw him standing with those who took up sixth place with scores of 6-under par 210. Kehoe bogeyed only one hole in each of his first and third rounds, ironically the 16th both times, as he shot 67 and 68, respectively. A second-round 75 was marred by three bogeys and a treble at the par-3 second hole. Had he matched either of his two other rounds, he might have collared champion Simon Robinson, who carded 203.

Padraig Dooley finished joint 32nd at 215 (74-70-71), while Damian Mooney settled in at 45th place with those who matched his 217 (74-72-71).

GREY GOOSE GATEWAY TOUR
A double-bogey 6 on the first hole of the final round in this circuit’s most recent event at Hammock Creek Golf Club in Palm City, Fla. probably clued Sean Quinlivan into the fact that he would be backpedaling down the leaderboard. Indeed, he dropped about 15 spots to a piece of 36th place with those who carded scores of 7-under-par 281 (71-68-69-73). Brad Klapprott’s 267 was the winner. Quinlivan earned $1,230.