Rich Beem fired seven birdies in nine holes midway through the final round to win The International and thwart a great surge by Steve Lowery that yielded an eagle and an albatross in the last four holes on Sunday. Beem, whose only previous victory on the US PGA Tour was at the 1999 Kemper Open, totalled 19 points in the closing round of the $4.5 million event at the Castle Pines Golf Club to finish on 44 points.
The 31-year-old then anxiously watched Lowery make his late charge, an eagle at the 15th and an albatross at the 17th giving him 16 points on Sunday and an overall tally of 43 points. Former U.S. PGA champion Mark Brooks was third on 33 points with Australia's Greg Norman and British Open champion Ernie Els of South Africa sharing fourth place on 27.
Beem began the final round in fourth position but took control with four consecutive birdies from the fourth hole. He then made further inroads on par at the ninth, 10th and 12th to take a commanding lead. Beem clinched victory by earning five points for an eagle at the par-five 17th.
Lowery had recorded just two points through the 13th, having made four bogeys in his round, but then put together a stunning birdie-eagle-bogey-albatross sequence.
A par at the 18th hole, however, left Lowery one point short of Beem, who had already finished. "When I was sitting there watching, I wasn't really thinking about anything," Beem said. "I was thinking, hey, there's nothing I can do, that I played as good as I can.
Filed by James Shortt
