NEWS

Champions: Janzen edges Bryant in playoff

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NAPLES, Fla. -- Lee Janzen birdied his final hole to get into a playoff, then beat Bart Bryant to win the ACE Group Classic on Sunday.

Janzen forced the playoff with an 8-foot putt on No. 18. He then watched Bryant put his approach into the water on the extra hole. Janzen put his second shot on the green, two-putted and won the Champions Tour event at TwinEagles Golf Club.

Bryant stormed into contention with a 10-under-par 62 on the final day, tying a course record. But with 178 yards to go as they played the 18th in the playoff, Bryant's second shot hit pylons before bouncing into the water.

Both shot 16 under in regulation play.

Bryant aggressively played Nos. 17 and 18. He nearly chipped in on 17, and his 25-foot putt for birdie on 18 missed by a couple of feet. His prediction on TV of needing to go 17-under to avoid a playoff was prophetic.

Bryant began the day with an eagle before having birdies on four of his next five holes, as well as Nos. 9, 11, 13 and 17.

Janzen also started well with three straight birdies from Nos. 3-5. He birdied Nos. 8 and 11, but a bogey on the 12th cooled him off until No. 18.

Colin Montgomerie entered the day at 12 under with a one-shot lead. He opened with a birdie but then alternated birdies and bogeys on the 10th through 13th. He also bogeyed the last hole to fall into fifth place.

Esteban Toledo, who shot 66 Sunday, finished third at 14 under. Peter Goydos, the champion last week at The Allianz Championship, finished 7 under.

Kirk Triplett, the defending ACE Group Classic champion, went 2 under, shooting 68-72-74.

Bernhard Langer was at 7 under when he withdrew and returned home to Boca Raton to be with daughter Christina. She had back surgery five weeks earlier.


This article was from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.