STROKE OF THE DAY

"Everyone has his own choking level, a level at which he fails to play his normal golf. As you get more experienced, your choking level rises."

After a seven-hole sudden-death showdown at the Toshiba Classic a week earlier, extra holes were again required to settle last weekend’s AT&T Champions Classic at Valencia Country Club in northern Los Angeles County.

Though there were more players involved this time around – three instead of two – less holes were needed to decide the victor.

Denis Watson seized that title, draining a 20-inch birdie putt on the third playoff hole to knock off Loren Roberts. Brad Bryant, who rounded out the playoff trio, was eliminated on the second hole of sudden death after making bogey.

Watson, the 2007 Senior PGA champion, put himself in contention with a 65 in Sunday’s final round that included a pair of eagles on the front nine and four birdies on the back. Now a three-time Champions Tour winner, Watson called his final 18 this year at Valencia “one of my best rounds ever.”

Roberts, on the other hand, has now lost two consecutive playoffs at Valencia. He faltered last year against Tom Purtzer on the fourth extra hole.

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