Leonard wins first Texas Open

SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Justin Leonard finished second at the Texas Open twice, and he wasn't about to do it again.

When Leonard fell a stroke behind after Friday's second round, he went straight to the driving range and hit balls for nearly an hour.

The 1997 British Open champion was rewarded Sunday when he shot a 6-under-par 64 to beat Mark Wiebe by five strokes and claim his first PGA title in two years.

"Working very hard Friday evening really paid off over the weekend," Leonard said. "I hit the ball very consistently, missed a couple shots, but all-in-all just played very solid and made a lot of putts."

The victory was a relief for Leonard, who last won at the 1998 Players Championship.

Absent from last year's Texas Open because of the Ryder Cup, Leonard finished second at the tournament in 1995 and '98. In 1998, he bogeyed the final two holes to lose to Hal Sutton by one stroke.

"I just wasn't able to close the deal," he said. "This year and today, I was very determined not to let that happen. If I was going to get beaten, then somebody was going to have to beat me. But I wasn't going to beat myself."

Entering the final round with a two-stroke lead over Wiebe, Leonard had seven birdies against one bogey to finish with a 19-under total of 261.

Leonard played at the University of Texas about 70 miles north in Austin and was the crowd-favorite during the tournament at La Cantera Golf Club on the edge of the Texas Hill Country. He earned $468,000 with the victory, his first in his home state.

"I think he was going to play the same way no matter what. We could've been in Timbuktu," Wiebe said.

Wiebe, a 20-year tour veteran who has not won since 1986, kept pace with Leonard for most of the round with five birdies, but couldn't close the gap. Leonard birdied No. 18 while Wiebe faltered with his only bogey.

Leonard started the round at 13-under and was 15-under after nine holes with birdies on Nos. 2, 5 and 8. Wiebe kept it close with birdies on Nos. 4, 8, 11 and 12, but Leonard maintained the lead by playing the back nine 4-under.

"Anytime I got any mojo going at all, he silenced me with a birdie," Wiebe said.

After he rolled in his final birdie, prompting a shout of "Go Longhorn" from the gallery, Leonard pumped his fist in the air as a mariachi band began to play on the 18th green.

"It was fun walking up 18 knowing I could get a 5 or 6 or whatever it took. It was a great end to the week," Leonard said. "Hopefully I won't wait as long to get another one."

Wiebe, who also finished second to Leonard at the 1997 Kemper Open, finished with 266. His previous best finish this season was a tie for 15th at the MCI Classic.

Jim Gallagher Jr. and Blaine McCallister tied for third at 269.

Gallagher, who shot a 64 in the third round to jump from 23rd to fourth, shot a final-round 68.

The 17-year tour veteran, who last won in 1995, lost his playing privileges in 1999 and has competed in only 11 PGA tournaments this year. His best finish this season was a tie for 30th at the Greater Milwaukee Open.

McCallister, who last won in 1993, began the day at 10-under but struggled, hitting a double-bogey on the par-4 fifth hole and two more bogeys against five birdies.