Robbins’ 265 Makes History

Kelly Robbins recorded the lowest 72-hole score in LPGA history as she won the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic by eight strokes Sunday at Sylvania, Ohio.

Robbins shot a 67 to finish at 19-under-par 265. The previous low 72-hole LPGA score was 268, by Nancy Lopez at the Henredon Classic in 1985 and Beth Daniel at the Oldsmobile Classic in 1994.

Both those 20-under totals came on par-72 layouts. Highland Meadows is a par-71, 6,319-yard course.

“To be recognized as someone that can shoot numbers like that, that’s great,” Robbins said. “I put together four really good days of golf. It was a very rewarding week.”

Robbins, who won this tournament in 1994 when it was a 54-hole event, played a steady final round, with birdies on two of the first three and two of the final three holes and pars the rest of the way.

Her winner’s share of $105,000 from the $700,000 purse gives her $527,000 in earnings this season, putting her third on the money list behind Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb.

“I hit the ball really well early, which was very encouraging,” Robbins said.

She bogeyed two of the first 10 holes in the opening round, but did not go over par on any of the event’s remaining 62 holes as she won her second tournament of the year.

Tammie Green had a closing 67 and finished second at 273.

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Jay Sigel won the $1 million Kroger Senior Classic at Mason, Ohio, by seven strokes, and his 18-under-par 195 total was a tournament record and the lowest 54-hole score on the Senior PGA Tour this year.

“I think the best way to describe my play this week was efficient,” Sigel said. “I was conservatively aggressive . . . and efficient around the greens.”

Sigel had a five-under 66 in the final round over the 6,673-yard Grizzly Course at The Golf Center at Kings Island to finish 18 under, one better than Mike Hill’s tournament record in 1995.

“Typically, you’re a little bit flat after a real low score,” Sigel said. “I’m real proud that did not occur.”

Defending champion Isao Aoki shot 67 to finish second at 202, two strokes ahead of David Ojala, Larry Gilbert and John Jacobs. Jacobs had a final-round 65, while Gilbert had a 70 and Ojala a 71.

Sigel, a former insurance executive and two-time U.S. Amateur champion, started the day with a four-stroke lead and never was challenged as he widened that to seven with a bogey-free round.

He collected $150,000 for his second win of the year.

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Former Dodger pitcher Rick Rhoden shot a 70 and finished with a nine-under 207 to win his fourth Isuzu Celebrity Golf Championship at the Edgewood Tahoe course. Rhoden earned $100,000 with the three-stroke victory over former San Francisco 49er quarterback and Senior tour player John Brodie and NHL veteran Dan Quinn.