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**truebluefan** · 03-28-2008, 12:06 PM

The Hills CC, Austin, Texas
Purse: $1,600,000

**truebluefan** · 05-04-2008, 03:57 PM

Scott Hoch won his first Champions Tour event, the 2007 FedEx Kinko's Classic, holding off D.A. Weibring by shooting a final-round 68. Since then, Hoch, who finished 23rd in last year's Charles Schwab Cup standings, has won two more times and is second in the year-long points chase after winning the Allianz Championship and The ACE Group Classic on back-to-back weeks in February.

The FedEx Kinko's Classic is in its sixth year, with all the previous tournaments at The Hills Country Club in suburban Austin, a Jack Nicklaus-designed course that opened in 1981. The Hills is the site again this week, a year after ranking as the fifth-most-difficult course on the 2007 Champions Tour. A year ago, players were nearly 1.5 strokes over par for the tournament (1.423).

This week's FedEx Kinko's Classic is the first of three Champions Tour stops in the Lone Star State in 2008. After the Austin event, the Champions Tour returns to Texas in the fall for the Administaff Small Business Classic near Houston and the AT&T Championship in San Antonio. Tom Kite enjoyed the most success in Texas last year. Even though he didn't win, Kite was fifth at the FedEx Kinko's Classic, third at the Administaff Small Business Classic and tied for 13th at the AT&T Championship.

Past champions haven't enjoyed great success when trying to defend their title at this tournament. In 2004, Hale Irwin tied for 40th after winning the inaugural event the previous year. In 2005, Larry Nelson tied for 25th in defense of his 2004 crown. In 2006, Jim Thorpe tied for 21st after winning in 2005. Last year, Jay Haas finished 10th in defense of his 2006 title.

The par-4 ninth hole at The Hills Country Club annually ranks among the most-difficult on the Champions Tour. Last year, it was the seventh-toughest hole on the Tour, with an average score of 4.491. Players made just 12 birdies there in 2007. A year earlier, No. 9 was the second most-difficult hole on the Champions Tour, with an average score of 4.498 -- again yielding only 12 birdies.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 05-04-2008, 04:00 PM

LAKEWAY, Texas (AP) -- Nick Price moved a step closer to his first Champions Tour victory, shooting a 5-under 67 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the FedEx Kinko's Classic.

Price had a tournament-record 12-under 132 total on The Hills Country Club course.

"This game is all about momentum. You've got to get on a roll and I'm close, really close," said Price, winless since the PGA Tour's 2002 Colonial in Fort Worth.

Scott Simpson and Loren Roberts, who teamed together last week in the Legends of Golf tournament, were tied for second after matching 66s.

Tim Simpson (69) and Denis Watson (70) were five strokes back at 7 under.

While Price has never taken a final-round lead into a Champions Tour event, he converted 10 of his last 12 final-round leads into PGA Tour victories.

Complete article

**truebluefan** · 05-05-2008, 04:22 PM

Zimbabwe's Denis Watson birdied the final hole Sunday to win the FedEx Kinko's Classic, taking advantage of countryman Nick Price's late collapse.

Watson closed with a 3-under 69 to finish at 10 under. He earned $240,000 for his second victory of the year and fourth overall on the Champions Tour.

"Never give up," Watson said. "I hate this for Nick because we need him on the tour. This is my first time as the recipient of a back-in win."

Watson's drive on the 18th hole landed in the middle of the fairway, and he put his second shot 50 feet from the pin. His eagle putt slid 5 feet past the hole, but he holed the putt for what turned out to be the winning shot.

Price, who shot a 75 to finish at 9 under, appeared to be in control of the tournament through most of a clear and warm final round. But watery double bogeys on 15 and 16 dropped him out of the lead, and an 18th-hole par left him a stroke back.

Price tied for second with 2007 winner Scott Hoch (69) and Tim Simpson (70). Loren Roberts (74) was fifth at 8 under.

Watson won the AT&T Classic in March in California. Last year, he won the Senior PGA Championship and Boeing Classic.

A stunned Price, still looking for his first Champions Tour win, said he was still unsure how his game unraveled.

"This is such a crazy game," he said. "I was hitting it so well today. I thought I could have closed my eyes on the 15th hole and made a bogey."

Price began the day with a two-shot lead over Scott Simpson and Roberts. He maintained the two-stroke edge with an even-par 36 on the front nine, but ran into double trouble on 15 and 16.

On the par-4 15th, Price's 7-iron second shot found a tree hanging over the fairway that kicked the ball into a creek guarding the green. On the par-3 16th, which had already claimed plenty of final-round victims, his 5-iron tee shot hit on the bank and splashed back into the water when the wind switched.

His double bogey there left five players tied for the lead at 9 under — Price, Hoch, Tim Simpson, Scott Simpson and Roberts.

Price had one more chance to salvage a win or a playoff on the 18th, the second easiest hole on the course.

He hit a perfect drive, but his second shot found a greenside bunker. His chip left him 19 feet from the pin and he failed to covert the birdie putt.

"It was pretty much over for me before then," Price said.