James' win marks comeback
Mark James was diagnosed with cancer four years ago. On Sunday, his comeback came full circle.
Updated: July 11, 2004, 8:50 PM ET
Associated Press
DEARBORN, Mich. -- Even before he was diagnosed with cancer four years ago, Mark James had golf in perspective.
"Golf wasn't exactly life or death for me,'' he said.
Becoming the first European to win a major on the Champions Tour isn't going to change that.
The former Ryder Cup captain shot a 1-over 73 and held off Jose Maria Canizares for a one-stroke victory Sunday at the Senior Players Championship.
James finished at 13-under 275.
The first of James' two operations for testicular cancer was in October 2000. James said he didn't feel like himself until the middle of 2002.
"It's been a dream, really,'' James said. "This is the biggest win of my career, without question. To win a major, it's incredible.''
The Champions Tour rookie finished third at the Bayer Advantage Celebrity Pro-Am last month, and tied for fourth at the Senior PGA Championship in May.
James opened with three strong rounds -- a 68 and two 67s -- and played just well enough to win the over-50 circuit's second major of the season and first of three straight.
"I'm lucky that I suddenly produced my best golf of the year here this week,'' he said. "That's the sort of luck some people get occasionally, and during my regular career, I don't think I ever quite got that click during a major.''
James started the final round with a three-stroke lead, the largest going into Sunday in the tournament since 1999, and was ahead by at least two shots until he bogeyed No. 9 and fell to 14 under.
That allowed Canizares to pull within a stroke. Moments later, he birdied No. 10 to move into a tie for the lead at 14 under.
James, playing just behind Canizares in the final group, moved back into the lead with a birdie at No. 10. At the 13th, Canizares again tied it with a birdie, but made double bogey on the next hole.
James squandered a two-shot cushion by making a bogey at the 14th.
After Canizares birdied 16 to again pull into a tie, James bogeyed the same hole to drop out of the lead and fall to 13 under.
Canizares tried to play safe at the 17th, but still found the water. He ended up with a double bogey, his second in four holes, and fell one shot back at 12 under.
"Coming down 13 to 16, I felt very insecure,'' James said. "At about 17 or 18, I maybe relaxed a bit.''
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press
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