Mark Wiebe completed wire-to-wire win in Cap Cana Championship
- By The Associated Press
- Published 04/6/2008
- News
- Unrated
PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic(AP) Mark Wiebe completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday in the inaugural Cap Cana Championship, closing with a 5-under 67 for a four-stroke victory over Vicente Fernandez.
Wiebe finished at 14-under 202 and earned $300,000 for his second victory in 12 career starts on the Champions Tour. The two-time PGA Tour winner won his first Champions Tour title in his tour debut last fall in the SAS Championship.
"I really felt good about my game all week, but I really played my best golf today,'' Wiebe said. "There was less wind today, so I knew there would be some good scores. I knew it was going to be a challenge and I just had to play my game.''
Wiebe was the only player to post three consecutive rounds in the 60s.
Fernandez, who turned 62 on Saturday, birdied Nos. 4-8 to briefly pull within two strokes of Wiebe. But Wiebe expanded his margin back to four with a 10-foot eagle putt at the par-5 sixth hole and followed with a birdie at the par-3 seventh after hitting an 8-iron shot to 5 feet.
Fernandez finished with a 65, matching the course record set Saturday by Joe Ozaki. Fernandez's runner-up finish was his best on the Champions Tour since a second-place performance at the 2003 Emerald Coast Classic.
Wiebe's only real hiccup in the final round came when the outcome was no longer in doubt, a double-bogey 7 at the par-5 15th hole.
Jay Haas (68) and Craig Stadler (67) tied for third at 9 under, and Denis Watson (66), Fulton Allem (68), Nick Price (67) and Scott Hoch (70) followed at 8 under.
Even though the wind decreased each day, the cumulative scoring average for the event was 72.260. Sunday's final round saw 51 players break par compared to just 13 professionals with under-par rounds Friday.
Greg Hickman tied for 56th in his Champions Tour debut, while Joey Sindelar tied for 61st in his first start since turning 50.
Wiebe finished at 14-under 202 and earned $300,000 for his second victory in 12 career starts on the Champions Tour. The two-time PGA Tour winner won his first Champions Tour title in his tour debut last fall in the SAS Championship.
"I really felt good about my game all week, but I really played my best golf today,'' Wiebe said. "There was less wind today, so I knew there would be some good scores. I knew it was going to be a challenge and I just had to play my game.''
Wiebe was the only player to post three consecutive rounds in the 60s.
Fernandez, who turned 62 on Saturday, birdied Nos. 4-8 to briefly pull within two strokes of Wiebe. But Wiebe expanded his margin back to four with a 10-foot eagle putt at the par-5 sixth hole and followed with a birdie at the par-3 seventh after hitting an 8-iron shot to 5 feet.
Fernandez finished with a 65, matching the course record set Saturday by Joe Ozaki. Fernandez's runner-up finish was his best on the Champions Tour since a second-place performance at the 2003 Emerald Coast Classic.
Wiebe's only real hiccup in the final round came when the outcome was no longer in doubt, a double-bogey 7 at the par-5 15th hole.
Jay Haas (68) and Craig Stadler (67) tied for third at 9 under, and Denis Watson (66), Fulton Allem (68), Nick Price (67) and Scott Hoch (70) followed at 8 under.
Even though the wind decreased each day, the cumulative scoring average for the event was 72.260. Sunday's final round saw 51 players break par compared to just 13 professionals with under-par rounds Friday.
Greg Hickman tied for 56th in his Champions Tour debut, while Joey Sindelar tied for 61st in his first start since turning 50.
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