TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course located just outside of Seattle
Jay Don Blake birdied the second playoff hole Aug. 26 to defeat Mark O’Meara and win the eighth Boeing Classic at TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course located just outside of Seattle. The event at Snoqualmie Ridge is one of six Jack Nicklaus-designed layouts featured on the 2012 Champions Tour schedule.
Blake and O’Meara both shot 4-under 68s in the final round and finished regulation tied at 10-under 206. They had to wait to see if Willie Wood, the previous week’s winner of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, could eagle the last. Wood made birdie and the two were off to the par-5 18th for a sudden-death playoff.
On the first extra hole, both players found the fairway and O’Meara was first. He pulled his shot left of the green, but Blake didn’t find the green, either. O’Meara’s third landed well past the hole, but spun back to six feet. Blake nearly holed his chip for eagle and the win. It hit the hole and ran almost 12 feet past the hole. Both players missed their birdie opportunities, so it was back to 18.
For the third time in an hour, O’Meara and Blake were back on the tee at 18. Blake once again hit two good shots to the back of the green. O’Meara’s second, a 3-iron, missed left. He pitched to 15 feet, but Blake knocked his third close.
O’Meara’s birdie effort missed on the high side. Blake converted his short one for the title.
The victory was Blake’s third on the Champions Tour. He captured last year’s Songdo IBD Championship at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in the late summer and the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
“I guess this time of year is when things happen for me,” Blake said. “I worked hard at it. Now the hard work is finally paying off. What a joy.”
O’Meara lost his chance at a third Champions Tour title.
“It wasn’t very much fun. I don’t like finishing second, to be honest with you.” said O’Meara, who missed almost four months this season with a rib injury. “I’ve finished second a lot out here. Jay Don hit some good shots in the playoff. He deserved to win. He had a good pitch shot on the last hole there. There’s not much to say besides very disappointed.”
Wood had a 2-under 70 on Sunday and took third at 9 under.
Last year’s winner Mark Calcavecchia (70) and Michael Allen (67) shared fourth at 8 under par.
David Frost (67) and Tom Byrum (68) shared sixth at 7 unde. Duffy Waldorf, who made his Champions Tour debut in the event, fired a 67 on Sunday and tied for eighth with Jeff Sluman (69) and Tom Kite (70) at minus-6.
Close to 25 percent of the Champions Tour events this year, including two of the senior major championships, are played on Nicklaus courses.
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