Weir keeps dry to take Hope title

Published on Monday 3 February 2003 00:00

CANADIAN golfer Mike Weir did what his playing partners could not, staying out of the water and off the rocks on his way to the winner’s circle at the Bob Hope Classic in California.

Weir birdied each of the final three holes en route to a five-under-par 67 at the PGA West Arnold Palmer Course, where Jay Haas and Tim Herron each led in the last threesome of the day before falling away.

Weir finished the 90-hole event at 30 under to claim his fourth career title.

Haas had a share of the lead standing over his second shot at the par-5 18th. But he found the water and finished second, two strokes back at 28 under.

Herron also had a part of the lead when he blasted from a fairway bunker at the 16th hole and lodged his ball under a boulder behind the green. Thanks to a quadruple-bogey, he tied for third at 26-under.

DANA QUIGLEY edged Larry Nelson at the Champions Tour’s season-opening event to the claim the Mastercard Championship.

Quigley had four birdies on a bogey-free back nine to close a five-under-par 67 and win by two strokes at 18 under.

Nelson needed to birdie the final hole to force a play-off, but he put his approach into a greenside bunker and two-putted for bogey. After a three-under 69, he settled for second at 16-under.