Lonard's win gift from Clarke
Darren Clarke needed just four words to sum up his collapse yesterday in the MCI Heritage at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
"Anybody got a beer?" the Irish star asked.
The dazed Clarke will not soon forget his startling run of bogeys and double bogeys in a closing 76 that handed Australia's Peter Lonard his first PGA Tour title.
"I can't believe I've done what I've done," Clarke said.
Clarke, who birdied four of the first five holes to take a four-stroke lead, was tied with Lonard entering the final hole.
The drama ended quickly, though, with Clarke losing his ball after pulling his approach into the thatchy beach area next to the green en route to a double bogey. Clarke, Lonard, their caddies, and officials searched for the wayward shot without success.
Clarke eventually trudged back to the fairway to finish off his double bogey while Lonard, safely on the green in two, chomped a granola bar.
"Obviously, I didn't win it the way I wanted to win it today," Lonard said. "But at the end of the day, if you win, you win."
Clarke, looking for his first PGA Tour win in two years, was instead left stunned. After all, he played the first 36 holes in a career-best 12-under 130.
Lonard's final-round 75 gave him a 7-under 277 total, while Clarke's 76 dropped him into a tie for second at 5 under with five-time Harbour Town winner Davis Love (71), Jim Furyk (69), and Billy Andrade (68).
It was hard to keep things straight at Harbour Town Golf Links without a scorecard. Lonard was down by four, then led by one after the eighth hole. He again fell behind Clarke by two shots after a bogey on the 12th hole. But three holes later, Lonard was ahead by a stroke and clung to the victory.
Clarke birdied four of the first five holes to get to 14 under and threatened to turn a tight match into a blowout. Then came bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes and a double bogey on the eighth. Things got more bizarre on the back nine. It appeared as though he had steadied himself when a birdie on the 12th hole gave him a two-stroke lead.
However, Clarke came back with a double-bogey 6 on No. 13.
On the par-3 14th, Clarke's tee shot went behind the green and his approach rolled past the cup and appeared certain to land with a splash in the pond that surrounds the green. But his ball stuck on the last split in the weathered wood for a bogey.
David Frost broke the Tour's 16-year-old record for fewest putts in a tournament, needing just 92. Frost, who holds the Harbour Town Golf Links scoring record of 61, had one putt fewer than previous record-holder Kenny Knox.
It didn't help Frost on the leaderboard, though. He had rounds of 68, 75, 74, and 73 to finish at 6-over 290.
Frost had 23 putts Thursday, 26 Friday, 21 Saturday, and 22 yesterday.
European -- Peter Hanson won the Spanish Open in San Roque, defeating Swedish countryman Peter Gustafsson with a par on the first playoff hole. Gustafsson shot a 6-under 66 to overtake Hanson, the third-round leader, and finish regulation at 8-under 280. Hanson closed with a 71.
Hanson missed the green on the playoff hole, the 18th, but chipped to about 1 foot. Gustafson also missed the green and two-putted. Peter Lawrie birdied the last two holes for a 69 and shared third place at 283 with Hennie Otto, who birdied the last hole for a 72.
