Par Is All He Needs for Title

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. â€”  Using a textbook par on the 18th hole, Graham Marsh was the only player to break even in the U.S. Senior Open. He was able to outlast John Bland and win by a stroke Sunday at one of the nation’s most challenging courses.

Marsh entered the final round with a two-stroke lead over Bland, but bogeyed the first three holes. The two jockeyed for position the rest of the day at Olympia Fields Country Club.

Marsh had seven bogeys--the last on No. 16 with a three-putt--before his birdie on 17 and par on 18 to finish with a four-over-par 74 and a four-round total of even-par 280.

“Somehow, I scrambled and scraped and got it done,� Marsh said. “I didn’t have the kind of start I was looking for, but my plan was just to be totally patient. It’s easy to be patient when things are going well. The challenge is being patient when things are going astray.�

It was the first major championship for Marsh, 53, of Australia.

He and Bland were tied after 17 holes. After Bland drove the ball into the short rough in front of a bunker, Marsh sent his drive about 295 yards down the middle of the fairway.

“My best drive for the week,� he said.

Bland then hit a three-iron into the trap guarding the right side of the green, and Marsh followed with an eight-iron to within 18 feet. Bland blasted out of the sand and missed an 18-foot par putt before tapping in for the bogey.

Marsh knew he could two-putt and win, and he did just that.