ROCHESTER - For an Oak Hill Country Club East Course that's been described as stingy, relentless and, most of all, brutal, Jay Haas can now add a far more complimentary adjective: merciful.
Haas erased the dreadful memory of one of the worst moments in his 32 years as a professional golfer by hanging on through a bogey-filled final round to claim the 69th Senior PGA Championship.
“I exorcised some demons,” Haas said. “That's probably one of my most solid pars I've ever made.”
Haas was referring to how he played No. 18 in the final round on Sunday, sealing his 7-over 287 tournament victory - one shot better than Bernhard Langer - with a drive into the fairway and an approach shot to within 17 feet of the pin before closing with a 2-foot putt for par.
It was a far better finish than how Haas played this same hole during the 1995 Ryder Cup, when he drove his tee shot into the trees and settled for bogey to lose the singles match to Philip Walton, giving up the decisive point in the European team's comeback 14.5-13.5 win over the United States.
“Yeah, I was thinking about it,” Haas said. “I was thinking that I was trying to get to 18 with a three- or four-shot lead so I wouldn't have to think it. But I think that might have made it even sweeter, the fact that I just had a one-shot lead.”
In the end, he was left with only one slight regret.
“If I could've played those two shots (today) in 1995 ... we probably would've won the Cup that year or tied it or whatever,” he said.
Haas, who began the day at 3-over and one shot behind Langer, endured a five-bogey, one-birdie round for a 4-over 74 to claim the $360,000 winner's purse and his second Senior PGA title in three years.
He overcame a shaky putter and a demanding 7,001-yard course that surrendered a mere 12 sub-par rounds over the four days.
Haas' 7 over was the highest winning score in relation to par in Senior PGA history, shattering the previous high of 2 over set by Sam Snead in 1970 at PGA National at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. It also marked the second-highest winning score in Champions Tour history, two short of Arnold Palmer's 9 over at the 1981 Senior Open at Oakland Hills.
“Survived? That's kind of how I feel,” Haas said.
He now joins a select group of Oak Hill champions that include Lee Trevino (1968 U.S. Open), Jack Nicklaus (1980 U.S. Open) and Curtis Strange (1989 U.S. Open).
A nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, Haas won his 11th event on the Champions Tour, including the 2006 Senior PGA at Oak Tree.
As if there weren't enough Ryder Cup memories for Haas, he was playing in a threesome with Langer, a member of that 1995 European Team.
Langer, well aware of the connection, graciously congratulated Haas for his victory.
“I said, 'Well done and well-deserved,”' Langer said. “And he said, 'You know, there was one guy after the Ryder Cup that came over and said some nice words to me.' And he meant me. ... It was a pleasure playing with him.”
Langer, who efficiently opened the tournament with consecutive 71s followed by a 70 on Saturday, was uncharacteristically sloppy on Sunday.
He began with a double bogey after striking a spectator with his opening tee shot that led to him shooting the front nine at 6-over 41.
“I probably had too much lunch or something,” Langer said. “There were probably numerous shots that weren't properly executed, let's call it that way. ... But it's done with.”
Scott Hoch, Joey Sindelar and 1987 U.S. Open-winner Scott Simpson finished tied for third, two shots back.
Greg Norman, who began the day five shots back and had all but conceded a chance at winning on Saturday, closed within two of the lead after posting three straight birdies on Nos. 12-14, putting him at even for the day and 7 over for the tournament. Norman, playing only his fourth event in two years, struggled down the stretch, finishing with a 73 and 10 over for the tournament to finish tied for sixth with Don Pooley and Ron Streck.
Haas became the 13th player to win at least two Senior PGA titles.
“I thought that one was awfully sweet,” Haas said. “But I think this one is definitely better.”
“I exorcised some demons,” Haas said. “That's probably one of my most solid pars I've ever made.”
Haas was referring to how he played No. 18 in the final round on Sunday, sealing his 7-over 287 tournament victory - one shot better than Bernhard Langer - with a drive into the fairway and an approach shot to within 17 feet of the pin before closing with a 2-foot putt for par.
It was a far better finish than how Haas played this same hole during the 1995 Ryder Cup, when he drove his tee shot into the trees and settled for bogey to lose the singles match to Philip Walton, giving up the decisive point in the European team's comeback 14.5-13.5 win over the United States.
“Yeah, I was thinking about it,” Haas said. “I was thinking that I was trying to get to 18 with a three- or four-shot lead so I wouldn't have to think it. But I think that might have made it even sweeter, the fact that I just had a one-shot lead.”
In the end, he was left with only one slight regret.
“If I could've played those two shots (today) in 1995 ... we probably would've won the Cup that year or tied it or whatever,” he said.
Haas, who began the day at 3-over and one shot behind Langer, endured a five-bogey, one-birdie round for a 4-over 74 to claim the $360,000 winner's purse and his second Senior PGA title in three years.
He overcame a shaky putter and a demanding 7,001-yard course that surrendered a mere 12 sub-par rounds over the four days.
Haas' 7 over was the highest winning score in relation to par in Senior PGA history, shattering the previous high of 2 over set by Sam Snead in 1970 at PGA National at Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. It also marked the second-highest winning score in Champions Tour history, two short of Arnold Palmer's 9 over at the 1981 Senior Open at Oakland Hills.
“Survived? That's kind of how I feel,” Haas said.
He now joins a select group of Oak Hill champions that include Lee Trevino (1968 U.S. Open), Jack Nicklaus (1980 U.S. Open) and Curtis Strange (1989 U.S. Open).
A nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, Haas won his 11th event on the Champions Tour, including the 2006 Senior PGA at Oak Tree.
As if there weren't enough Ryder Cup memories for Haas, he was playing in a threesome with Langer, a member of that 1995 European Team.
Langer, well aware of the connection, graciously congratulated Haas for his victory.
“I said, 'Well done and well-deserved,”' Langer said. “And he said, 'You know, there was one guy after the Ryder Cup that came over and said some nice words to me.' And he meant me. ... It was a pleasure playing with him.”
Langer, who efficiently opened the tournament with consecutive 71s followed by a 70 on Saturday, was uncharacteristically sloppy on Sunday.
He began with a double bogey after striking a spectator with his opening tee shot that led to him shooting the front nine at 6-over 41.
“I probably had too much lunch or something,” Langer said. “There were probably numerous shots that weren't properly executed, let's call it that way. ... But it's done with.”
Scott Hoch, Joey Sindelar and 1987 U.S. Open-winner Scott Simpson finished tied for third, two shots back.
Greg Norman, who began the day five shots back and had all but conceded a chance at winning on Saturday, closed within two of the lead after posting three straight birdies on Nos. 12-14, putting him at even for the day and 7 over for the tournament. Norman, playing only his fourth event in two years, struggled down the stretch, finishing with a 73 and 10 over for the tournament to finish tied for sixth with Don Pooley and Ron Streck.
Haas became the 13th player to win at least two Senior PGA titles.
“I thought that one was awfully sweet,” Haas said. “But I think this one is definitely better.”
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