Bryant overtakes Watson for major win
Tom Watson gave as Whistling Straits took away. In the end, Brad Bryant was left with the biggest moment of his career -- and the second-biggest final-round comeback in a US Senior Open.
Bryant, who came into the final round at 2 under, shot a 4-under-par 68 in stiff winds and searing 90-degree heat yesterday in Haven, Wis., to take advantage of yet another Senior Open collapse by Watson and win his first senior major.
"I've always been a journeyman, and to come out here and beat a couple of the best players in the world on a day like today is near miraculous, actually," said Bryant, who won only once in more than two decades on the PGA Tour before finding recent success on the Champions Tour.
Bryant said he was fortunate that both Watson and Loren Roberts, who came into yesterday three shots behind Watson, played poorly on the same day.
"It was really scripted for Tom Watson," Bryant said. "The winds, the heat, it was really his day."
It certainly appeared that way early on as Watson, who had finished second in three of the previous five Senior Opens, shot 1 under on the front nine and began the back nine with a birdie to go to 9 under for the tournament.
But then came the collapse, as Watson frittered away six strokes in the space of five holes, a stretch that included two double bogeys.
But Bryant couldn't pounce right away, missing a 10-foot par putt on the 12th hole for his first bogey of the day and bogeying again at No. 14.
But Watson just kept sliding and Bryant finally broke through with a birdie on the par-5 16th hole to take the lead for good.
Watson shot a 6-over 78 to finish 1 under, behind Bryant, Ben Crenshaw, and Roberts.
PGA -- K.J. Choi punctuated an adventurous back nine with a great bunker shot on his way to a three-stroke victory over Steve Stricker at the inaugural AT&T National in Bethesda, Md.
Choi shot a final-round 68 for a 9-under 271 total to win for the sixth time on the PGA Tour, the most by an Asian-born player.
Choi, 37, wavered with three bogeys early on the back nine, jostling with Stricker (70) atop the leaderboard, but Choi steadied himself with a 12-foot birdie putt at the 15th to take a two-shot lead.
European -- After 19 months without a title, Colin Montgomerie shot a 5-under 65 to win the European Open in Straffan, Ireland, by a stroke over Niclas Fasth (67).
The 44-year-old Scot had seven birdies to come from four shots behind and finish with an 11-under 269. "This was a very, very important win," he said. "After such a dry spell, you wonder if it's ever going to happen again. You wonder if it will happen."
