Dunlap Holds Off Brooks to Win Boeing Classic


Scott Dunlap followed up a 9-under 63 Saturday with a 68, tying Mark Brooks in regulation at the Boeing Classic. The 51-year-old Dunlap then struck a brilliant 3-wood on the first extra hole - the par-5 18th at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge - to set up his first victory on the Champions Tour.

Entering Sunday's final round trailing 36-hole leader Dunlap by three strokes, Brooks fired a closing 65 to tie Dunlap in regulation at 16-under 200 in the $2 million, 54-hole event east of Seattle.

Brooks, a 53-year-old Texan whose last victory came in the 1996 PGA Championship, charged home with six birdies in the final seven holes to forge a tie with Dunlap.

But his magical touch down the stretch failed Brooks on the first sudden-death hole, the 18th, when his tee shot found a fairway bunker. He was forced to hit a 7-iron to around the 100-yard mark.

Just before that, Dunlap - hitting first - struck his fairway wood to the hill-perched green. His ball stopped behind the back pin location, then trickled downhill before stopping four feet above the cup.

Brooks' third landed in the middle of the green, but spun back to the front, setting up a difficult birdie try, which he missed. Dunlap tapped his eagle attempt but it skirted the hole; he promptly rolled in the short tap-in for the winning birdie.

The victory, Dunlap's first in 16 Champions Tour starts, was worth $300,000 and a one-year exemption on the over-50 circuit.

Dunlap won twice on the Web.com Tour, but never got a victory on the regular PGA Tour. "It's been a long time coming," the Georgia resident said at greenside. "This is extra-special to win against a lot of great players."

Gene Sauers closed with a 65 to end up in solo third at 14-under 202, while another stroke back was Tom Pernice Jr. (66). Sharing fifth at 12-under were Marco Dawson (65), Woody Austin (68) and Doug Garwood (71).

Joe Durant (69) and Tommy Armour III (70) tied for eighth at 205, and another shot down the leaderboard in 10th were Rocco Mediate (65), Olin Browne (69) and Fred Funk (70).

Local favorite Fred Couples finally got untracked Sunday. The Seattle native, a 10-time Champions Tour winner and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, posted a 66 to move up to 15th at 8-under 208 with, among others, Bernhard Langer.

The 56-year-old Langer closed with a 67. The German, also a Hall of Famer, remains well ahead of the Charles Schwab Cup points' race thanks to five victories - including two majors - this year.

Defending champion John Riegger had a 72 and ended up T42 at 1-under 215 for the tournament.

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/champions/leaderboard.html.