Golf Roundup : Grady Hits Putt to Win in Playoff

Wayne Grady’s three-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole Sunday gave him a victory in the Westchester golf tournament at Harrison, N.Y.--and his continued competition in the United States.

“Now you’re stuck with me, fellow,” the 31-year-old Australian said after he beat Ronnie Black and gained his first title on the American PGA Tour.

Grady, who spent a half-dozen years as a dedicated globe-trotter, settled in the United States five years ago.

Lack of success, however, had prompted him to consider leaving.

“You can make a lot of money playing in Europe and Asia now, playing the same caliber of golf you do here and not getting your head kicked in,” he said.

The victory in 40 m.p.h. winds erased all thoughts of leaving.

“I won’t be saying goodby now,” Grady said.

Grady, 1988 Australian Masters champion, forced the playoff when he birdied the final hole from about six feet. He won it with the short, uphill putt on the first playoff hole.

“The easiest putt possible under those circumstances,” he said.

Grady and Black, who has not won since 1984, completed the regulation 72 holes tied at 277, seven-under par.

Grady, who started the final round in a three-way tie for the lead, played the last 18 holes in one-over 72. Black, playing about a half-hour in front of the other contenders, made up four shots with a 68.

The playoff, with a $180,000 prize at stake, began on the 314-yard 10th hole.

Orville Moody won his first major title in 20 years with a final-round 71 that held off fast-closing Charles Coody by two strokes in the Senior Tournament Players Championship at Ponte Verda, Fla.

Moody, who won the U.S. Open in 1969 for his only official victory in 17 seasons on the PGA Tour, clinched the victory with a birdie on the 17th hole and a tap-in for par on No. 18.

The winner finished with a 17-under-par 271 total for four trips over the 6,646-yard TPC at Sawgrass Valley Course, a tournament record for the $700,000 event that will move to Dearborn, Mich., next year.

Moody began the day with a six-shot advantage over Coody, Gary Player and Lou Graham but never made a serious move to put the tournament away after shooting a course-record 64 Saturday.

He birdied No. 9 to regain the lead at the turn, then saw the edge gradually slip away while Coody mounted his challenge on the back nine.

Coody had three birdies and eagled No. 17 to climb the leader board with a 67 that gave him a 273 total. Gary Player shot 68 and finished third at 274 after he eagled the 17th hole and birdied No. 18.

Graham, Bob Charles, Al Geiberger, Miller Barber and Arnold Palmer tied for fourth at 278. Palmer shot a 67 that included an eagle on No. 17 and a birdie on the last hole.

Second-year player Robin Hood won her first tournament on the LPGA tour, shooting six birdies on the Willow Creek Golf Course en route to 16 points and the championship in the $400,000 Pat Bradley International at High Point, N.C.

Hood, a three-time Indiana Amateur champion who had won just $8,246 in 13 tournaments this year, earned $62,500 for her victory.