Stricker wins John Deere three years in a row

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SILVIS, Ill. - Steve Stricker of Madison has joined an elite group of golfers who’ve won the same tournament three straight times.

Stricker made a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole yesterday to win the John Deere Classic by one stroke over Kyle Stanley. The winning putt was set up by a tough bunker shot to the left of the fairway, which landed just off the back fringe of the green. Stricker had a five-stroke lead halfway through his final round. But the 23-year-old Stanley moved into first with a par on the 16th hole, while Stricker had bogeys at both 15-and-16. Stanley rimmed a 10-foot putt at the 18th, and Stricker took advantage of that miss with birdies on his final two holes. He shot a two-under-par 69 in his final round and finished 22-under at 262. Stanley was one stroke back.

The 44-year-old Stricker won his second tournament of the year, after taking the Memorial. It was his 11th win overall, and he jumped 10 places to second in the Fed-Ex Cup season point standings. Stricker is at least the eighth golfer since World War Two to win the same event three straight years. Other media reports say he’s the 10th.

Stricker and Pewaukee native Mark Wilson are now headed to Sandwich England for the British Open, the year's third major which begins on Thursday. Wilson was in the Top-10 for most of the John Deere Classic. But he shot a three-over-par 74 yesterday, and finished in a tie for 30th at 10-under-274.

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It looks like Sherri Steinhauer of Madison will just barely finish in the money at the U.S. Women’s Open. She fired an eight-over-par 79 in her final round yesterday, to finish at 21-over-305 at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Steinhauer was tied for 71st and last among those who made cut. But just over half the field has yet to complete their fourth rounds, due to another weather delay – the fifth during the Open for a total stoppage of 17 hours. Officials hope to wrap up the tournament today. Hee Kyung Soo is the leader at the moment. She finished yesterday at three-under-par 281, one stroke ahead of So Yeon Ryu who has three holes left.

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