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4-28-08
CHAMPIONS TOUR
Wearing a Wisconsin Badgers cap and shirt, Madison’s Andy North over the weekend won his first official event since the 1985 U.S. Open. North teamed with good friend Tom Watson to win the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah, Ga., with a combined 31 under par (59-62-64–185) in the bestball tournament. North and Watson began the tournament with seven straight birdies at the start of the first round on Friday.
Finishing one stroke back in second place were Jeff Sluman and Craig Stadler (62-63-61–186).
The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf returned to a two-player team format for the 2008 tournament. In recent years the tournament offered a Legends division, which was individual play, and the unofficial Raphael Division, which was a team format.
North and Watson won the Rafael Division the last three years (their string of consecutive holes without a bogey remains intact at 162) and the duo had campaigned hard to have the Legends return to a team format, which it was through the 2002 tournament. That change was made prior to the tournament this year.
“We worked so hard to get it to this format, that we felt it was really important that we play well,” Watson said afterward.
Thus, the $225,000 that North and Watson each earned is considered official money on the Champions Tour money list. North, who got into the tournament thanks to a sponsor’s exemption, now sits at No. 30 on that list. North also earned a yearlong exemption on the Champions Tour, although he admitted afterward that his broadcasting schedule with ABC and ESPN would preclude him from taking advantage of that opportunity.
“The events I would really like to play, I’m working,” said North, mentioning the the U.S. Senior Open and British Senior Open in particular. “Basically, I’m (working) like 18 of the next 20 weeks. I probably won’t play a round of golf, and probably won’t hit 100 balls, the next four months.”
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