Browne makes first win a signficant one
BY Bruce Young | Champions Tour | 2011 US Senior Open Championship | Wrap | 01 Aug 2011
Olin Browne has made his first Champions Tour victory an important one with a three shot victory over Mark O’Meara at the US Senior Open at the Inverness Golf Club Toledo in Ohio.
Browne had finished third in this event twelve months ago and 10th in his first appearance in the event in 2009 so his record in the most significant tournament in senior golf had already been good but today it became a double reward.
Brown and O’Meara separated themselves from the field during the middle stages of the final round with the winner producing a mistake free back nine, including a birdie at the last, to edge ahead of the two time major championship winner O’Meara who bogeyed twice over the closing six holes.
Browne explained the day and his thoughts leading into a day that would become one of the most significant in his career. “I told my wife this morning that my stomach was churning a little bit, and as much as I tried to settle down, I guess it carried over because I couldn’t play a lick on the front nine. But I knew that if I stayed patient that I could settle into the round and find a way to be there at the end. But I didn’t know if I was going to end up being a winner.
“I knew if I was in the lead or somewhere near the lead on the back nine that there would be all kinds of stuff happening. It’s just too hard a nine holes of golf. I just did the very best that I could. I hit as many — what’s the word I’m looking for — functional shots, to stay in it, not lose my patience and not start doing stupid stuff.”
Mark Calcavecchia was third ahead of Hale Irwin and Joey Sindelar.
Peter Senior repeated his 2010 finish when 6th earning US$92,000 and remaining in 12th position on the 2011 Champions Tour money list.
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