Golf: Kuchar wins Memorial as Woods struggles

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Dublin, Ohio • Matt Kuchar rolled in one last birdie to win the Memorial by two shots and join Tiger Woods as the only multiple winners on the PGA Tour this year.

Kuchar was challenged briefly at the turn by Kyle Stanley, and then late Sunday when Kevin Chappell birdied three of his last four holes. Kuchar only needed to two-putt from 20 feet for the win, and he made the putt for a 4-under 68.

Kuchar, who goes to No. 4 in the world, had never won twice in one season. He captured the Match Play Championship in February. Better yet was getting a handshake from tournament host Jack Nicklaus behind the 18th green.

"This is such an amazing feeling. This never gets old," said Kuchar, who won for the sixth time in his career. "To have Jack Nicklaus congratulate me is a real treat. This is as special as it gets."

Woods made another triple bogey — two shots from a bunker, three putts from 15 feet on the fringe — at the par-3 12th and had to rally for an even-par 72. Woods came into the Memorial having won three times in his last four starts, and left with the second-highest score of his career at 8-over 296.

Champions Tour

Russ Cochran won the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, Iowa, for his fourth career Champions Tour title, closing with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over St. George's Jay Don Blake.

Cochran finished at 11-under 205 at Wakonda Club. The left-hander, two strokes behind second-round leader Duffy Waldorf entering the day, broke a winless streak that stretched 35 tournaments.

Blake shot 69. He bogeyed the par-3 17th with his first three-putt of the tournament to fall a stroke behind. He had a chance to force a playoff, but his birdie try on the par-4 18th missed to the right.

Blake has finished second five times in Champions Tour events and has won three titles.

LPGA Tour

Karrie Webb won her first LPGA Tour title in two years, rallying from five shots down for a two-stroke victory over Shanshan Feng in the wind-whipped ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway Township, N.J. The 38-year-old Hall of Famer shot a 3-under 68 in blustery conditions to win for the 39th time on tour, the most among active players. The Australian had a 4-under 209 total on The Bay Course at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club.