Woosnam wins Insperity Invitational playoff
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Woodlands, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Ian Woosnam poured in a long birdie putt on the first playoff hole Sunday to defeat Kenny Perry and Tom Lehman and win the Insperity Invitational.
Woosnam closed with a 4-under 68 to end at 11-under-par 205. Perry was the first one in at minus-11 thanks to his 66. Lehman carded a 69 to join them in the extra session on the Tournament Course at The Woodlands Country Club.
All three players found the fairway off the tee. Woosnam played first and hit his approach to about 35 feet. Lehman hit a poor shot into the water, then Perry's second stopped outside Woosnam's ball.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lehman played his fourth to the back fringe, but never putted. Perry's long birdie putt came up short. Woosnam drained his long birdie effort to win for the first time in the Champions Tour.
"It means I can come over here and play more often, and don't have to worry (about) things," said Woosnam, when asked what the win means. "Happy the sponsor's gave me an invite and just had a terrific week."
Second-round leader Michael Allen closed with an even-par 72. He shared fourth place with Joe Durant (71) at minus-10. Duffy Waldorf (67) and Mark McNulty (69) tied for sixth at 9-under-par 207.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Allen led by two after he birdied the 10th. He tripped to a bogey at 11, then was told he was on the clock. Allen got out of his rhythm and made bogey at 13 as well. He parred the last five to end one back.
"I felt like I was in a great mindset. I was playing well, I was staying as calm as can be and just kind of going through my day. Then they came up, and I thought they warned the whole group, but it turned out it was just me. That was coming off of 12," Allen explained. "Then he comes up to me after 13 tee and said, 'Michael, you're being timed.' I said whoa, wait a minute, aren't you going to time everybody? 'No, it was just you. You're the one being extremely slow today.'
"I just took that personally a little bit. I just thought that was a little ... I never heard of any single person being timed, not that I don't think it should be applied out here, but to take the guy who's leading the tournament and to come up and say you're holding the field up, you're slow, to me, it was a little out of line."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Woosnam opened a bogey-free round with a birdie at the first. Back-to-back gains at five and six moved him to 10-under. He ran off five straight pars from the seventh.
The Welshman converted a birdie chance to 12, then closed with six straight pars to join Perry in the clubhouse at minus-11.
Perry got off to a quick start with birdies at one and two. He stumbled to a bogey at four and followed that with four consecutive pars. Perry birdied the ninth to make the turn at minus-7.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The reigning Tradition champion had four pars and a birdie at the 13th to start the back nine. Perry flew into the lead with three straight birdies from the 15th. He parred the last to end at 11-under.
Lehman traded a birdie for a bogey from the first and again from the fifth. Another dropped shot at the eighth left Lehman to 7-under.
Around the turn, Lehman flew into a share of the lead thanks to four birdies in a 5-hole span from the 11th. He parred the last three holes to get into the playoff.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NOTES: Woosnam's last win on any tour came last year on the European Seniors Tour ... Woosnam earned $307,500 for the win ... After a week off, Perry will defend his title at the Regions Tradition.