Golf: Champions Tour

Monday, May 16, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

Thorpe, Hatalsky need extra day

Jim Thorpe and Morris Hatalsky parred the first hole of a playoff before play was suspended because of darkness in the Champions Tour's Blue Angels Classic. They were scheduled to resume play this morning.

Thorpe, coming off a victory two weeks ago in the FedEx Kinko's Classic in Lakeway, Texas, forced the playoff with a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation.

Thorpe closed with a 3-under 67 and Hatalsky had a 66 to complete 54 holes at 16-under 194 on the Moors Golf Club course. Two rain delays -- for a total of 4 hours, 18 minutes -- left time for only one extra hole in near darkness.

Bjorn wins playoff

Denmark's Thomas Bjorn won the British Masters for his first PGA European Tour title since 2002, beating England's David Howell with a par on the second hole of a playoff.

Bjorn, an eight-time winner on the European tour, closed with a 4-under 68 to match Howell and England's Brian Davis at 6-under 282 on the Forest of Arden course. Davis was eliminated on the first extra hole.

New Zealand's Michael Campbell, the third-round lead, shot a 73 to finish a stroke out of the playoff.

Couch ties course record at 10 under

Chris Couch won the Rheem Classic, matching the course record with a 10-under 60 for a five-stroke victory.

Couch, who began the round five strokes behind third-round leader Camilo Villegas, had a 15-under 265 total on the Hardscrabble Country Club course.

The 32-year-old former Florida player had 11 birdies and one bogey. He played both nines in 5 under, capping the round with a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 18.

-- Sun wire services