Loren Roberts held his nerve to edge out Mark McNulty and Fred Funk in a play-off to win the Senior Open Championship.
American gets better of McNulty and Funk at Sunningdale
Loren Roberts held his nerve to edge out Mark McNulty and Fred Funk in a play-off to claim the Senior Open Championship for the second time at Sunningdale.
All three men finished on 12-under-par after 72 holes, one clear of Bernhard Langer in fourth and two ahead of Sam Torrance in fifth.
Funk then dropped out of the play-off after the first extra hole as both Roberts and McNulty made birdies and, after matching pars at the second time of asking, the remaining duo then headed back down 18 for a third time.
But McNulty's hopes all but ended following a wild drive which leaked way right into bushes forcing him to take a penalty drop.
The 55-year-old's third shot ran through to the back of the green and although he was able to get down in two for a bogey-five, Roberts had two putts for victory from 15 feet and duly lagged his first to within inches before tapping home to clinch victory.
Having started the day just one behind overnight leader Greg Norman, Roberts produced a back-nine charge to revive his chances after a front nine that yielded a birdie at the first, but also two bogeys.
But he came on strong on the way home with birdies at 11, 12, 14 and 17 lifting him to 12-under where he joined McNulty and Funk who finished before him.
Indeed, McNulty had fired a best-of-the-day 64 - which included seven birdies - to set the clubhouse target and even had a makeable putt on the 18th to reach 13-under.
But he was unable to hole it and was soon joined in the clubhouse on 12-under by Funk who posted a bogey-free 67 to book his place in the play-off.
Norman was very much in the hunt on 11-under through 16 holes, but the Australian saw his challenge ended by a double-bogey six at the 17th following a wayward drive.
Norman ultimately had to settle for a share of sixth on nine-under alongside Larry Mize - the man who beat him in a play-off to win The Masters in 1987.
Defending champion Bruce Vaughan of America closed with a 69 to finish in a five-way tie for eighth on seven-under with compatriots Tom Watson, Don Pooley and Tom Kite and also Denis Watson of Zimbabwe.
