Associated Press
CONOVER ó Mark Wiebe felt terrible about missing his induction into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame.
His decision to go to work instead was a good one ó even if he had to put in overtime.
Hours before he was to be honored on the other side of the country, Wiebe won his first Champions Tour title in three years Sunday at Rock Barn. He holed a par putt on the third playoff hole following a weather delay and won the Greater Hickory Classic when Monday qualifier James Mason missed a 4-foot putt.
ěIt was tough because I want to be there. Itís a great honor to be elected into the golf hall of fame in Colorado,î Wiebe said. ěBut I work for a living, this is what I do. I never thought about not coming. I just didnít know how to say it a nice way, ëWhy didnít you have the dinner on a Monday?íî
The 53-year-old Wiebe, who shot a 7-under 65 in regulation, snapped a 77-tournament winless streak.
For the 60-year-old Mason, it was heartbreak finish to what was nearly a career-changing week.
Mason, whose last win came in 2002, was playing in his first Champions Tour event of the year. He had lost his playing privileges and was 0 for 5 in qualifiers until he shot 62 last Monday to get into the field.
But his three-putt from just over 20 feet on the par-3 17th ended his chances of earning a one-year playing exemption.
ěA win would have meant everything. It would have been the culmination of my career,î said Mason, who wore purple knickers Sunday while shooting 65. ěThat probably would have given me another year and a half out here. I still get a nice check, but a win would have been a total redo of my career again. But hopefully Iíll get one.î
In a tournament played in intense heat that yielded a 54-hole Champions Tour record 1,147 birdies, Wiebe and Mason each birdied the 18th in regulation to finish at a tournament-record 19 under. That moved them past clubhouse leader Fred Funk, who shot a 62 to tie for third with Chip Beck (66).
Loren Roberts (65) and Nick Price (66) tied for fifth, two shots back. Jeff Sluman (67) finished alone in seventh, three back.