Olin Browne sealed the biggest win of his career with a 30-foot birdie putt at the final hole for a three-shot victory at the US Senior Open.
Closing round of 71 takes Browne to elite level
Olin Browne sealed the biggest win of his career with a 30-foot birdie putt at the final hole for a three-shot victory at the US Senior Open.
The 52-year-old started the day with a two-shot lead over Mark O'Meara but, after parring the first seven holes, he slipped back into a tie with his playing partner after a bogey at the eighth.
But he picked up a stroke after the turn whereas two bogeys proved costly for O'Meara, who had to settle for second place at 12-under.
Browne closed with a level-par 71 that gave him a wire-to-wire victory in the event in Ohio.
Mark Calcavecchia finished one shot further back in sole possession of third place after a 69 with Hale Irwin (68) and Joey Sindelar (70) another stroke adrift.
"I guess from the middle of the back nine on it became a match-play situation, and I've got zero experience in match play," Browne said.
"But it's about putting your ball in play, keeping it out of the junk. The bottom line is minimize your mistakes, maximize your effort, and that's all you can do."
Browne, only the fifth player in history to win on the Nationwide Tour, PGA Tour and Champions Tour, said he was not concerned that his closing round had lacked the fireworks of his earlier rounds.
"I don't think it matters how you win," he said. "I don't think it matters whether you shoot 63 coming from behind; I don't think it matters if you shoot 75 after having a six-shot lead," he added.
"This will be a confidence boost for me to know that I can hang in there when I don't have my game, and I sure as heck didn't have my game today."
