Big Rally Is Key to Cook Up Victory

John Cook shot an eight-under-par 64 and took advantage of a late triple-bogey by leader Jerry Kelly to win the Reno-Tahoe Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour victory in three years.

“It was a big surprise,” said Cook, who shot a 74 on Saturday and started the final round six strokes off the lead.

“I played so badly yesterday, I was embarrassed to be out here to tell you the truth.... Trying to stay competitive in your mid-40s is not easy.”

Cook, 43, started the day six strokes off the lead, but had a birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie stretch to shoot a 30 on the front nine.

His 17-under 271 was one stroke better than Kelly.

Kelly, 34, was looking for his first tour victory and held a one-stroke lead with three holes to play before disaster struck.

He missed the green on the 163-yard, par-three 16th, miss-hit two chips and lipped out a four-foot putt for a triple-bogey six.

“It was one of those things that makes you love and hate the game,” Kelly said. “It wasn’t like a choke kind of thing at all. I went through and I just happened to go under it. There was more grass than I thought, apparently.

“I certainly didn’t think I was going to miss a 21/2-footer. It’s painful lessons, but look out for me next week, I’m playing well,” Kelly said.

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Walter Hall parred the first hole of a playoff with Ed Dougherty to win the AT&T; Canada Senior Open at Ontario and become the Senior PGA Tour’s fourth first-time winner in as many weeks.

Hall, a 54-year-old former North Carolina appliance sales manager, finished second six times in five seasons on the tour.

Dougherty missed a 20-foot par putt on the extra hole, the par-four 18th, after bogeying the hole in regulation to drop into a tie for the lead.

With the wind gusting to 20 mph and lightning and rain delaying play for 1 hour 19 minutes late in the round, Hall parred the final 12 holes of regulation for a one-under 70 to match Dougherty at 15-under 269 on the historic Mississaugua Golf and Country Club course. Dougherty finished with a 66.

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Heather Daly-Donofrio claimed her first career victory, shooting a three-under 69 at the LPGA’s Betsy King Classic at Kutztown, Pa.

Daly-Donofrio, 31, in her fourth season on tour, had five birdies for a 15-under 273 at Berkleigh Country Club.

After she nearly withdrew before the opening round Thursday because of severe pain in her lower back, Daly-Donofrio held off Mhiari McKay, who missed short putts on the final two holes that would have forced a playoff.

Daly-Donofrio, a Yale graduate and former coach at the school, parred the final two holes.

Her previous best finish was 11th at the Rochester Open in June.

Catriona Matthew, the highest-ranked player in the field at fifth overall, finished at 13 under.

Meg Mallon finished at 11 under and Pat Hurst was 10 under.