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| | Sunday, 1 September, 2002, 23:36 GMT 00:36 UK Sauers bridges 13-year gap  Sauers held his nerve in the final round Gene Sauers claimed his first USPGA Tour title in 13 years as he held off a host of challengers to win the Air Canada Championship. The 40-year-old American, playing without a Tour card, earned his third career victory with a two-under-par 69 in the final round. His 15-under total was just good enough to secure his first title since the Hawaiian Open in 1989. Sauers had also previously won the 1986 Bank of Boston Classic, but lost his tour card in 1995 and has been toiling on the Buy.com Tour ever since.
Sunday's victory gave him a two-year exemption on the USPGA Tour, and netted him $630,000 (�420,000) - more than he has won in any year since turning professional in 1984. Sauers had previously collected just $75,000 (�50,000) in 14 events on the PGA and Buy.com tours this year. In-form Steve Lowery missed an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have tied him for the lead. As it was, he finished a stroke behind Sauers on 14 under, his third runner-up spot, and fifth top 10 finish, in his last six starts. Clarke five adrift Australia's Robert Allenby, starting the day one behind Sauers, could only manage a 70 and tied for third place with with Vijay Singh and Craig Barlow. Barlow, leading at the half-way mark, stepped onto the 18th green one stroke off the pace but three-putted for bogey. Peter Lonard, another starting the day just a shot adrift of Sauers, ruined his chances by playing the first five holes in four over par. Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke, the leading European, was unable to make any headway on the leaders, finishing five shots back on ten under. Final scores at the Air Canada Championship, British Columbia (US unless stated) 15 under Gene Sauers | |
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