PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida, 16 March 2004 — American Todd Hamilton, a 38-year-old US PGA Tour rookie who was a star on the Japanese tour, birdied the last two holes to pass Davis Love and win the Honda Classic here Sunday. Hamilton began the day with a four-stroke lead but struggled through the final round, soaring to four over-par and finally falling behind when Love birdied the 18th hole.
But Hamilton, who won 10 titles and $5.6 million on the Japanese PGA Tour, answered the challenge.
He curled home an eight-foot birdie at the 17th to pull even, then dropped his approach four feet from the cup and sank a birdie putt at the 18th for the third day in a row to claim his first US PGA title.
“This is a dream come true. It’s very satisfying,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton’s final round 74, two-over par, left him at 12-under par 276 and paid off $900,000. Hamilton is anything but an overnight sensation, having traveled the world to play. His first US PGA title came in his 17th pro season and 18th US PGA start after a career that included titles in Thailand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.
Hamilton, who won four times last year in Japan, denied Love, who had a final-round 69, the greatest last-day comeback in the history of the five million-dollar event. Love began the final round six strokes off the pace. Love settled for second place here for the second year in a row and the 26th time in his career. This event marked his return after a rest and the start of a push to next month’s Masters.
American Brian Bateman was third on 278, one stroke ahead of compatriots Kevin Na and Woody Austin, Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson and Australia’s Robert Allenby, who fired a final-round 70. Windy conditions dogged Allenby and the rest much of the round. He knew from the start that Hamilton’s lead was in jeopardy.
Bateman, who began eight strokes back, fired the best final round at 68 to claim his best career US PGA finish, bettering his share of 11th from last year at New Orleans.
Stupples Captures First LPGA Title
England’s Karen Stupples fired a seven-under par 63 here Sunday in the final round to capture her first LPGA title, winning the season-opening Welch’s Fry Championship in Tucson, Arizona, by five strokes.
Stupples’ stunning finish, a bookend to her first-round 63, left her at 22-under par 258. That was the lowest 72-hole total in LPGA history, breaking Wendy Doolan’s mark set here a year ago on the par-70 layout.
Stupples’ total was one off the tournament record set by Swedish star Annika Sorenstam on a different course in 2001. South Koreans Jung Yeon Lee and Grace Park shared second at 263, two strokes ahead of American Stacy Prammanasudh.
Stupples won $120,000 to seize the LPGA money lead entering next week’s event in Superstition, Arizona. That will be the final tuneup for the first women’s major tournament in two weeks at Rancho Mirage, California.
England’s Laura Davies, Stupples’ idol and playing partner, began the day one stroke back in quest of her first LPGA title since 2001 but faded with a 71 to share fifth on 267 with Thailand’s Aree Song and Korean Shi Hyun Ahn.
Three other Koreans — Mi Hyun Kim, Se Ri Pak and Seol An Jeon — were at 268.
Stupples opened with a bogey but holed a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 second and birdied the third from 45 feet.
