SportsMay 15, 2006
Brett Wetterich went from frustration to elation -- with a twinge of sadness -- in the final round of the Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas. When the final putt dropped for his first PGA Tour victory, Wetterich pumped his arms into the air and smiled. He was also fighting back tears...

Brett Wetterich went from frustration to elation -- with a twinge of sadness -- in the final round of the Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas.

When the final putt dropped for his first PGA Tour victory, Wetterich pumped his arms into the air and smiled. He was also fighting back tears.

"I was really happy for myself, but I was thinking about my brother," said Wetterich, whose older brother died three years ago. "It was a good feeling. I wish he was here to see it. But hopefully he was smiling down on me."

Wetterich's closing 2-under 68, which included a frustrating front nine, put him at 12-under 268. That was a stroke better than Trevor Immelman, a runner-up again after losing in a playoff to Jim Furyk at the Wachovia Championship last week.

"I'm playing the best golf of my life," Immelman said. "I'm 26 years old, and I'm going to have hundreds of golf tournaments to play still. It's just a case of trying to build on these last few achievements."

The $1.116 million winner's check for the 32-year-old Wetterich nearly matched the $1.3 million he had won in 80 PGA Tour starts since 1998. He's the fifth first-time tour winner this season after top-10 finishes in New Orleans and Houston.

The initials "MTW" are on his bag in honor of his older brother, Mark, killed in a car accident in Chicago when he was hit by a drunken driver while going home from work.

"I think about him a lot," Wetterich said. "It was kind of special just thinking about him coming up" the 18th fairway.

Omar Uresti (68) and Adam Scott (71) finished two strokes back at 10 under, and Chad Campbell (69) followed at 9 under. Shigeki Maruyama, the 2002 Nelson champion, had four birdies the last six holes in a round of 66 that got him in a tie for sixth at 8 under with Luke Donald (68).

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LPGA Tour

Karrie Webb became the LPGA Tour's first two-time winner this year, finishing with a 1-under 70 to beat Lorena Ochoa and Hee-Won Han by seven shots in the Michelob Ultra Open in Williamsburg, Va.

Webb, a two-time player of the year coming off her first winless season, had a 14-under 270 total to become the third player to win wire-to-wire this year. The Australian also won the Kraft Nabisco and leads the money list.

Ochoa finished second for the fourth time in her last five starts and the fifth time in eight events this season. She also won in Las Vegas.

Ochoa closed with a 72, failing after an opening birdie to keep the pressure on the Australian. Han shot a 70 and Pat Hurst and defending champion Cristie Kerr, who started the day tied with Ochoa five shots back, tied for fourth with Paula Creamer.

Webb has 32 LPGA Tour victories in her Hall of Fame career.

Champions Tour

Bobby Wadkins completed a wire-to-wire victory in the Boeing Championship in Destin, Fla., birdieing the 17th hole en route to a 1-under 70 and a one-stroke victory over 63-year-old Ray Floyd.

Wadkins finished with a 1-under-70 for a 10-under 203 total and earned $240,000 for his second Champions Tour and first in five years. The 54-year-old Virginian shot a course-record 62 Friday and had an even-par 71 on Saturday.

Floyd shot an 8-under-63, one stroke shy of the best round in his 43-year career on the PGA Tour and 50-and-over circuit.

Loren Roberts, a three-time winner this year, closed with a 69 to tie for third with Scott Simpson (67), Craig Stadler (70) and Tom Watson (67) at 7 under.

-- The Associated Press

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