DUBLIN, Ohio - Sunday at the Memorial felt like a series of bonuses to Carl Pettersson.
First came a scary, downhill chip from 25 feet out of the rough on the par-5 11th hole that had bogey written all over it until Pettersson knocked it in for birdie to restore his three-shot lead. The victory was sweet because tournament host Jack Nicklaus was waiting to shake his hand when he walked off the 18th green.
And when it was over, Pettersson was awarded a day off Monday instead of grinding through U.S. Open qualifying.
“I wasn't thinking about that at all,” Pettersson said after closing with a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory over Brett Wetterich and Zach Johnson. “I was just trying to get the job done on the back nine. To win it is just phenomenal.”
The 28-year-old Swede earned a small measure of redemption.
Pettersson was No. 51 in the world ranking, missing by one-hundredth of a point getting into the top 50 and earning an exemption into the U.S. Open. He had planned to go through a 36-hole qualifier the day after the Memorial, but his second victory over the last 12 months was enough to get him to Winged Foot.
Nicklaus didn't know much about Pettersson, who doesn't meet any stereotypes. He was born in Sweden, but wears traditional golf clothes, rarely passes up a meal and doesn't much care for hockey. He lives in North Carolina and doesn't pay attention to NASCAR.
During his interview, Nicklaus asked him questions about where he lived and how he met his wife.
As for the golf? That looked all too familiar to the Golden Bear.
“Your winner played the best golf, and that's what it boils down to,” Nicklaus said.
Johnson (70) and Wetterich (67) tied for second and picked up valuable Ryder Cup points, moving them to sixth and seventh, respectively, in the U.S. standings.
Masters champion Phil Mickelson took himself out of the hunt with bogeys on his first two holes, although he kept the gallery entertained through the final round with seven birdies, none more spectacular than the final few holes. From a buried lie in the slope of the bunker on the 16th, he holed out for birdie. And from a fairway bunker on the 18th, he hit a high fade that spun within 3 feet for a birdie and a hard-earned 70.
ShopRite LPGA Classic
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. - South Korean rookie Seon-Hwa Lee won her first LPGA Tour title, closing with an 8-under 63 to surge past Annika Sorenstam and several other contenders for a three-stroke victory in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
The 20-year-old Lee, second three times this year, birdied her last two holes to finish with the lowest round of the tournament and a 16-under 197 total. Sorenstam (67), Jeong Jang (64) and Sherri Steinhauer (66) tied for second.
Lee birdied the 114-yard, par-3 17th and was walking up the fairway on No. 18 when her caddie told her she was in the lead. Then she sank a 5-footer for birdie to clinch the $225,000 top prize.
Allianz Championship
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa - Gil Morgan rallied from two strokes down on the final two holes to win the Allianz Championship by a shot, a week after blowing a final-round lead in the Senior PGA Championship.
The 59-year-old Morgan closed with a 4-under 67 to finish at 16-under 197 and break the tournament record by two strokes. Loren Roberts (67) finished second.
Last week on his home course in Edmond, Okla., Morgan blew a one-shot lead with a final-round 74 and lost the Senior PGA Championship by two strokes.
The win was Morgan's first since the 2004 SBC Classic and the 24th of his Champions Tour career, tying him with Miller Barber for third place on the 50-and-over tour.
And when it was over, Pettersson was awarded a day off Monday instead of grinding through U.S. Open qualifying.
“I wasn't thinking about that at all,” Pettersson said after closing with a 1-under 71 for a two-shot victory over Brett Wetterich and Zach Johnson. “I was just trying to get the job done on the back nine. To win it is just phenomenal.”
The 28-year-old Swede earned a small measure of redemption.
Pettersson was No. 51 in the world ranking, missing by one-hundredth of a point getting into the top 50 and earning an exemption into the U.S. Open. He had planned to go through a 36-hole qualifier the day after the Memorial, but his second victory over the last 12 months was enough to get him to Winged Foot.
Nicklaus didn't know much about Pettersson, who doesn't meet any stereotypes. He was born in Sweden, but wears traditional golf clothes, rarely passes up a meal and doesn't much care for hockey. He lives in North Carolina and doesn't pay attention to NASCAR.
During his interview, Nicklaus asked him questions about where he lived and how he met his wife.
As for the golf? That looked all too familiar to the Golden Bear.
“Your winner played the best golf, and that's what it boils down to,” Nicklaus said.
Johnson (70) and Wetterich (67) tied for second and picked up valuable Ryder Cup points, moving them to sixth and seventh, respectively, in the U.S. standings.
Masters champion Phil Mickelson took himself out of the hunt with bogeys on his first two holes, although he kept the gallery entertained through the final round with seven birdies, none more spectacular than the final few holes. From a buried lie in the slope of the bunker on the 16th, he holed out for birdie. And from a fairway bunker on the 18th, he hit a high fade that spun within 3 feet for a birdie and a hard-earned 70.
ShopRite LPGA Classic
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. - South Korean rookie Seon-Hwa Lee won her first LPGA Tour title, closing with an 8-under 63 to surge past Annika Sorenstam and several other contenders for a three-stroke victory in the ShopRite LPGA Classic.
The 20-year-old Lee, second three times this year, birdied her last two holes to finish with the lowest round of the tournament and a 16-under 197 total. Sorenstam (67), Jeong Jang (64) and Sherri Steinhauer (66) tied for second.
Lee birdied the 114-yard, par-3 17th and was walking up the fairway on No. 18 when her caddie told her she was in the lead. Then she sank a 5-footer for birdie to clinch the $225,000 top prize.
Allianz Championship
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa - Gil Morgan rallied from two strokes down on the final two holes to win the Allianz Championship by a shot, a week after blowing a final-round lead in the Senior PGA Championship.
The 59-year-old Morgan closed with a 4-under 67 to finish at 16-under 197 and break the tournament record by two strokes. Loren Roberts (67) finished second.
Last week on his home course in Edmond, Okla., Morgan blew a one-shot lead with a final-round 74 and lost the Senior PGA Championship by two strokes.
The win was Morgan's first since the 2004 SBC Classic and the 24th of his Champions Tour career, tying him with Miller Barber for third place on the 50-and-over tour.
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