Broadhurst wins in debut
Englishman takes Senior British after closing with a 68
Paul Broadhurst won the Senior British Open Sunday at Carnoustie in Scotland for his first senior major title, closing with a 4-under 68 for a two-stroke victory over Scott McCarron.
Broadhurst, 50, overcame an opening 75 to become the third English player to win a PGA Tour Champions major, joining Mark James and Roger Chapman. Broadhurst also is the first player to win the event in his debut since Fred Couples in 2012 at Turnberry.
“It’s massive, absolutely massive,” Broadhurst said. “I’m not aware of how big it is yet, honestly. I’m trying not to think about it. Beyond my wildest dreams to be honest. This sort of thing doesn’t happen to players like me normally. I’ve won a few tournaments over the years, but nothing anywhere near as big as this event. I feel very, very privileged to have won this event.”
Broadhurst shot a 66 Friday and a 68 Saturday to enter the final round four strokes behind leader Miguel Angel Jimenez. He birdied the par-5 sixth, par-4 10th, par-3 13th and par-4 15th in his bogey-free round in mostly cloudy conditions with 8-16 mph wind and occasional drizzle. He finished at 11-under 277. McCarron bogeyed the par-3 16th and par-4 18th in his 69.
“I didn’t really have everything this week,” McCarron said. “I had a bad neck all week and was kind of playing around that a little bit. I just didn’t putt all that well all week long but I kind of hung in there. I had a chance with a couple holes to go, so that’s all you can ask for. Unfortunately, the bogeys on 16, 18, cost me the tournament.”
Jimenez had a 75 to drop into a tie for third with Magnus Atlevi (67) at 8 under.
“The 75 today was the other side of the coin from [Saturday],” Jimenez said. “I was a little bit tense, not loose in the beginning of the round, and then didn’t play as well as yesterday.”
Broadhurst earned $279,144, a full PGA Tour Champions exemption through the 2017 season, a spot in the 2017 British Open at Royal Birkdale and a fiveyear exemption into the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hawaii. He played his final 45 holes in 14 under.
Other tournament
UL International Crown: Cristie Kerr held on for a 3and-2 victory over Melissa Reid to give the United States the title in Gurnee, Ill. Kerr and company were shut out in the first session of this LPGA Tour event, but they got progressively better each day. Stacy Lewis and Gerina Piller each closed out wins before Reid missed a birdie putt on 16, handing the decisive victory to Kerr.