Chasing history at Summerlin

Victoria Sun

Monday, April 16, 2001 | 9:54 a.m.

Highlights from Doug Tewell's win in the Tradition:

Doug Tewell ended his season-long drought with a victory at the Tradition in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Sunday afternoon.

Tewell's impressive 23-under 265 record total served notice that he is another strong contender for the Las Vegas Senior Classic that starts Friday at the TPC at Summerlin and concludes on Sunday.

He set another tournament record during the final round by carding a 10-under-par 62 for a nine stroke victory over another Las Vegas entrant, Mike McCullough, a two-time winner this year.

"We talked about the zone, and the zone was there today for me," Tewell said. "I just stayed in it, stayed within myself, stayed away from the mistakes, and that's what you have to do, I think, to win a major."

Defending Senior Classic champion Larry Nelson finished with two double bogeys for a 3-over-par 75 and tied J.C. Snead for fifth at 280.

For Tewell, last year's senior rookie of the year, it was his second major title and fourth overall.

The $255,000 he pocketed vaulted him from 28th on the money list to 8th with $418,015.

If Tewell remains hot, he could break more records this week.

Last year at the Las Vegas Senior Classic, Nelson's 19-under 197 total set a tournament record. He finished ahead of two-time Las Vegas champion Hale Irwin and Bruce Fleisher by a record five strokes.

It was the first time the tournament was played solely at the TPC at Summerlin, a much more playable course under harsh conditions.

The Senior Classic has drawn eight of the top 10 finishers on last year's money list, 16 of the top 20 and 19 of the top 25. The top 10 professionals on the money list are also entered.

Nelson, who remains atop the money list with $810,960, has cooled off since he won his first two tournaments of the year.

Irwin enters the Las Vegas Senior Classic with a win at the Senior Skins Game and the Siebel Classic which preceded the Tradition after playing just six events.

He and part-time Las Vegas resident Jim Colbert will both be aiming for their third victories here. Colbert has one individual title thus far and teamed with Andy North to win the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.