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Sunday soaker Morgan takes crown as rain cancels Comfort Classic
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- When Gil Morgan heard that heavy rain was forecast for the final day of the Comfort Classic, he played as if Sunday would be a rainout. It was, and Morgan was declared the winner Sunday after rain and lightning forced the cancellation of the last round of the seniors' golf event. "It was a situation where if something like this happened, I had to be close to the lead, or in the lead, or be in a tie for a playoff," Morgan said. "... Obviously, it (the cancellation) makes it easy for a win. But I'm not going to give it back." Morgan began his dash to the flag on Saturday's last two holes. He birdied the par-three 17th by sinking a 20-foot putt, then hit the four-iron on 18 that made the difference. The bad weather halted play more than two hours Sunday before Morgan was scheduled to start. After a two-hour delay, the course was deemed unplayable by tour officials and Morgan's two-round total of 131 gave him a one-stroke victory over Jim Ahern. Morgan finished 13 under par to earn $187,500 and notch his third win of the year. His two-round total of 131 gave him a one-stroke victory over Jim Ahern. Bruce Fleisher, the top money-winner on the tour this year, shared third with Tom Wargo at 133. George McGinnis, who shot his second consecutive 67 on Saturday, held fifth place at 134. Dana Quigley was at 135, as were Chuck Moran Jim Colbert. Course record-holder Mike McCullough tied for ninth with George Burns, Jay Sigel and J.C. Snead at 136. Morgan's total surpassed the tournament's lowest winning score by two strokes. Isao Aoki established the record in 1994, when the first round was washed out by rain. Rain also forced cancellation of the final round in 1993. The winning margin came on Saturday's last two holes. Morgan birdied the par-3 17th by sinking a 20-foot put. He then hit a 4-iron within five feet of the cup on the par-4 18th and sank the putt. Ahern has not won in his second year on the Senior Tour. He captured his lone victory last season at the AT&T Canada Senior Open. "I haven't had that many good tournaments this year," admitted Ahern, who took home $110,000 to move into the 34th spot on the money list. "It would have been nice to have played, but second place is a nice consolation. I knew this morning it didn't look good."
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