Klein Wins Women’s British Open

Emilee Klein ran away with the Women’s British Open at Woburn, England, for her second consecutive victory.

The 22-year-old from Studio City, who won her first pro title last week in the Ping Welch’s Championship at Canton, Mass., coasted home Sunday with a one-under-par 72 for a seven-shot victory.

“I’m really in a state of shock,” said Klein, who won the 1994 NCAA title as a sophomore at Arizona State. “Three weeks ago, I didn’t think I would win a tournament. I never would have dreamed all this.”

With the $124,000 first-place check in hand and season earnings of $356,716, the Californian has her sights set on new living quarters.

“Now I’m going to buy a house,” she said. “I know the area and I already knew I was going to buy one. But, after these two wins, I think I can buy a bigger one.”

Klein finished at 15-under 277. While Penny Hammel and Amy Alcott did close within four strokes, the fellow Americans had little chance to catch Klein. Hammel closed with a 71 and Alcott shot a 72 to tie for second.

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Clarence Rose knew he had to make an eagle on the par-5 17th hole the first time he played it. Then, as if to prove it was no fluke, he did it again in the playoff.

Rose, 38, made a 25-foot putt from the fringe for his second eagle of the day at the same hole and beat Brad Faxon on the third playoff hole for his first PGA Tour victory in the weather-delayed Sprint International at Castle Rock, Colo.

His clinching eagle came after Faxon, whose last PGA Tour win came in this event in 1992, twice had saved par from greenside bunkers and then left an eagle putt short.

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John Bland, a member of the Senior PGA Tour for less than a year, won his fourth tournament with a closing 6-under-par 66 for a three-stroke victory in the $800,000 Northville Long Island Classic at Jericho, N.Y.

The 50-year-old South African won with a 14-under 202 total, two strokes off the tournament record and three ahead of Jim Colbert, who closed with a 71.

Ray Floyd, who set a 36-hole tournament record with a 133 after two rounds on the 6,842-yard Meadow Brook Club course, shot a 73 and was third at 206.