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Langer just misses out

Former Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer narrowly missed out on his first victory in five years in the Crowne Plaza Invitational late on Sunday. Langer lost out in a play-off with South African Rory Sabbatini and Jim Furyk at Colonial, with Sabbatini making a birdie on the first hole of sudden death. The 49-year-old German then missed from eight feet to match Sabbatini's birdie.

The trio had finished tied on 14 under par in the rain-delayed event after firing matching closing rounds of 67.

American Pat Perez was fourth on 12 under.

Langer had led by two shots midway through the round but bogeyed the 12th and needed a birdie on the 17th and scrambled par on the 18th to get into the play-off.

Although he failed to end his title drought after losing out to Sabbatini, Langer was pleased to be in contention again and paid tribute to the South African, who held his nerve to sink a lengthy putt and claim his fourth PGA Tour title.

"Rory made a great putt," Langer said. "He was quite a bit further away than me - several feet - and hit it right in the middle of the hole. I looked at the putt and felt very comfortable with my read, but I pushed it.

"I'm disappointed I didn't win but at the same time I'm encouraged with my game. It's the best I've played for a while and that's very encouraging."

The 49-year-old was also chasing his first win on the PGA Tour since claiming the Masters in 1993. "I wasn't trying to think about that," Langer added. "A lot of stuff goes through your mind because there's so much time walking around and standing around watching others.

"I tried to focus on the next shot and just play as well as I can, and as hard as I can, and see where we stand at the end."

Sabbatini revealed he was in no doubt his winning putt was going in once he saw the line but was still surprised Langer missed his chance to prolong the play-off. "About four feet to go, I knew there was pretty much no chance of that putt missing," he said. "When I looked up and saw that, it was a good feeling.

"There are very few things in life that, to me, are as amazing as when you hit a putt and you know you hit it on the line you wanted to and you see it go right in the middle of the hole."

Furyk nearly won the tournament right at the end of his final round but a long birdie putt on the 18th stopped an inch short of the hole.

"I misread the one on 18 the first time around," he said. "I think everyone missed that putt out to the right a little bit. But I gave myself some opportunities."

Watson's first major

Denis Watson took advantage of Eduardo Romero's first big mistake of the week and went on the win the 68th Senior PGA Championship for his first major victory.

Romero, who led after each of the first three rounds at Kiawah Island, was undone by a costly double-bogey on the par-three 14th hole, where Watson birdied en route to a nine-under-par 279 total and two-shot win.

Nick Price claimed third place on 282.

Rose out of Memorial

Justin Rose, runner-up in the PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday, has pulled out of this week's Memorial Tournament in America. But the 26-year-old has not suffered a recurrence of the back trouble which has limited him to just two tournaments since late February.

"I'm just trying to be a little bit more cautious. I don't believe there's a problem," said Rose, whose next appearance will now be the US Open at Oakmont starting on June 14th. I've taken advice from my fitness trainer, who is experienced with footballers at Arsenal. It's just a matter of getting myself a little bit stronger.

"I have to give it some time fitness-wise in the gym to cope with a full playing schedule. I'm going to dedicate the next couple of weeks to really getting myself little bit stronger."

Asian chiefs are baffled

Asian golf officials have revealed their surprise at European Tour executive director George O'Grady's claim that he is in "the final stages of refining" the idea of amalgamating with other tours. The Asian Tour's executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said yesterday: "We have not been informed or approached by the European Tour on its proposed idea.

"The Asian Tour has an existing co-sanction programme with the European Tour. If new proposals are put forward to the Asian Tour, it will be evaluated based on its benefit to the Asian Tour."