US Tour News: If, on Sunday, US Ryder Cup captain Hal Sutton had one eye cast across the Atlantic on who his counterpart Bernhard Langer would unveil as his two wild-card selections for the match in just over a fortnight's time, another was no doubt on the Buick Championship where Fred Funk -who makes his debut for the Americans at Detroit - was in the thick of things.
Attempting to follow on from Stewart Cink's NEC Invitational win, and provide another boost for the home team in a season where many of those who have made the US team have under-performed, Funk - "I gave it away, it's pretty disappointing, " he conceded - had entered the final round with a one-stroke lead. He managed to hold it through 11 holes before making bogey on four of the next five holes for a finishing 70 that left him in a three-way tie for third on nine-under-par 271, a shot behind Tim Herron and Woody Austin.
Neither Herron nor Austin made Sutton's team, but Austin's play-off win where he sank a six footer for birdie on the first tie hole extended the recent run of American winners on the US Tour which, this season, has been overshadowed by international players. From the Shell Houston Open in April, which was won by Vijay Singh, no fewer than 13 of the next 20 tournaments was claimed by non-Americans.
Still, victory for 40-year-old Austin - the eighth player over 40 to win on the US Tour this season - gave him a cheque for $756,000, the largest of his career.
"Unfortunately for me, I'm a very nervous individual and it shows on the greens a lot of the time. I'm starting to calm down a little bit as I am not having to worry about my job," explained Austin, who has had exempt status for the past two years.
Austin, who used to spend his off seasons as a bank teller, finished 125th on the money list in 2001, just good enough to earn an exemption. In 2002, he had a bigger cushion, finishing in the top 50 for the first time since 1996. Last year, he finished in the top 50 in the money list and earned $1 million for the first time in his career.
It was Austin's first victory since winning a play-off at the 1995 Buick Open, the same season he was named rookie of the year.
"I feel that deep down I never really showed the true talent that I have," said Austin. "I feel like I am one of the best players out here (on the US Tour) and I've never shown it."
Last year, Austin was second to Davis Love III in the MCI at Hilton Head Island, losing on the fourth hole of a play-off for his first top-three finish since 1996.
On Sunday, Austin had the chance to win the tournament on the final hole of regulation but, after his drive landed in a divot, he flew his approach about 80 feet past the pin and made a bogey on the 444-yard 18th.
Herron, playing with Austin, bounced back from a double bogey on the 17th to make a 24 footer for birdie to force a play-off. Herron was looking for his first victory on the US Tour in five years and has struggled this summer with his health after contracting Lyme disease and missing three weeks of his schedule.
Austin went on to win at the first tie hole, the 18th: "I'm a little pessimistic when it comes to my golf game(but) I certainly wanted to feel vindicated after my victory in my rookie year."
BUICK CHAMPIONSHIP - Leading final scores (US unless stated, par 70): 270 - W Austin 68 70 66 66 (Won after first hole of sudden death play-off), T Herron 70 69 65 66; 271 - T Pernice Jnr 70 66 68 67, Z Johnson 67 65 73 66, F Funk 66 66 69 70; 272 - J Bohn 71 67 69 65, C Pavin 62 72 68 70, M Gogel 67 69 69 67; 273 - T Byrum 69 66 67 71, K Sutherland 70 70 67 66, T Fischer 71 69 67 66, J Sluman 72 69 70 62; 274 - K Triplett 68 67 69 70, O Uresti 68 70 67 69, J Kelly 66 71 70 67, H Tanaka (Jpn) 68 69 67 70, H Kuehne 68 65 71 70, B Faxon 69 68 70 67, A Atwal (Ind) 68 72 70 64, R Damron 71 68 68 67.
