John Cook won for the third time at Pebble Beach, closing with a 3-under-par 69 to win the Nature Valley First Tee Open by one stroke over Tom Byrum.
The 56-year-old Cook (pictured with R.J. Harper of the Pebble Beach Co.), who earned his 10th victory on the Champions Tour after winning 11 times on the PGA Tour, made three birdies and a bogey through the first seven holes, then held on with 10 pars and a birdie on the 13th hole.
“It’s special, especially to win here,” said Cook, from Ranchos Palos Verdes, who won the 1975 California Amateur and the 1981 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am at Pebble. “I didn’t have my best stuff today, struggled a little bit, but I remembered how to win. I drew back on my experience, the way to cap it off. I’m pretty pleased, especially to do it right here.”
Byrum, seeking his first PGA Tour victory after winning only the 1989 Kemper Open on the PGA Tour, also closed with a 68, which included costly bogeys on the 14th and 17th holes after he took a one-stroke lead with six birdies on the first 12 holes.
Roger Chapman of England closed with a 65 that included eight birdies and finished two strokes back in a tie for third with Skip Kendall, who had a 70.
Woody Austin was another stroke behind in fifth after a 66, and two-time defending champion Kirk Triplett shot 67 to finish four strokes behind in a tie for sixth with Billy Andrade (69), Fred Funk (70) and Lee Janzen (70).
