Golf Roundup : Simpson’s Major Slump Ends in Atlanta Playoff

After he won the 1987 U.S. Open, Scott Simpson’s game shut down.

Simpson ended his long winless streak Sunday by making a par putt to beat Bob Tway on the first hole of a playoff and win the Atlanta Classic at Marietta, Ga.

“It’s a real big boost for me,” Simpson said. “It’s easy to lose confidence, easy to question yourself. This is a real big shot in the arm for me. Hopefully, no more slumps like ’88.”

Tway made a 10-foot putt on the final hole of regulation to force the playoff. Simpson and Tway started the day four shots behind third-round leader Joe Don Blake and shot five-under-par 67s to finish at 10-under-par 278.

Blake had a 72 and finished tied for third at 279 with Davis Love III, who had a 70.

Bobby Nichols sank a 12-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole to beat Orville Moody and win the Southwestern Bell Seniors tournament at Oklahoma City.

Nichols shot a one-under-par 71 to finish at seven-under-par 209. Moody (70) birdied the final hole of regulation to force the playoff.

The victory was Nichols’ first in four years on the PGA Senior Tour.

Ayako Okamoto of Japan shot a one-under-par 70 to run away with a six-stroke victory in a $325,000 LPGA victory at Corning, N.Y.

Okamoto finished at 12-under-par 272, pulling away with birdies on the 13th, 17th and 18th holes.

Beth Daniel never got closer than two strokes behind Okamoto, closing with a 71 for 278. Dawn Coe (70) was third at 281 and Patty Sheehan (72) finished fourth, 11 strokes back at 283.

Masters champion Nick Faldo of Britain birdied the final two holes and tied Australian Craig Parry after three rounds of the European PGA Championship at Virginia Water, England.

Faldo and Parry both had three-under-par 69s for an 11-under-par totals of 205 after three rounds.