Blake Soars in Boeing Classic


On Sunday, Jay Don Blake nailed down his third title on the Champions Tour. The 53-year-old Utahan closed with a 4-under 68 to tie Mark O'Meara - who also shot 68 - in regulation, and then birdied the second playoff hole to win the $2 million Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge in Sammamish, Wash.

After 54 holes, the two ended up tied atop the leaderboard at 10-under 206. They returned to the par-5 18th for a sudden-death playoff; both made pars the first time around. Back they went to the uphill closing hole, where Blake tapped in for birdie and O'Meara missed a 15-foot tying attempt that would have sent the two back to the 18th tee a third time.

Blake earned $300,000. The playoff was the fourth in the past eight years at the Boeing Classic east of Seattle; in 2007, the tournament had a seven-man playoff - the biggest in tour history (won by Zimbabwe's Denis Watson).

Willie Wood, who won last week's Dick's Sporting Goods Open for his first victory since the 1996 Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic on the PGA Tour, posted a 70 for solo third at 207, while another stroke back were Michael Allen (67) and Mark Calcavecchia (70).

Second-round leader Tom Jenkins closed with a 78, which kept the 64-year-old from breaking the record for the all-time oldest winner on the Champions Tour - Mike Fetchik, who was 63 when he won the 1985 Hilton Head Seniors Invitational. Jenkins ended up tied for 21st at 3-under 213.

David Frost (67) and Tom Byrum (68) shared sixth at 209, while Duffy Waldorf, in his Champions Tour debut, posted a 67 to end up tied for eighth at 210 with Jeff Sluman (69) and 2008 Boeing Classic winner Tom Kite (70).

For complete scoring, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/s619/.