European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 20,1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 21 Irwin captures . Open in sudden death by Bob Green Medinah 111. Apr for Hale Irwin winning the . Open Golf championship was a matter of 1-2-3. He won it monday in the first sudden death playoff Ever used to decide that american National championship. He won it Only after Gritty Mike Donald gave him a second Chance by making bogey on the last Hole of the regular 18-Hole playoff. And it was the third . Open title for the meticulous articulate Man who became the oldest Winner of the tournament most pros rank As the toughest in the game. A the thirds a Charm. Its a fabulous feeling. A because in a so old i feel blessed a said Irwin at 45 a year older than Ray Floyd was when he won the open in 1986. With the 91st-Hole Victory secured by an 8-foot Birdie putt he neared a plateau achieved by Only four other men. Willie Anderson Bobby Jones Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus each won four open titles. No one else has won As Many As three. Irwin who previously won in 1974 at winged foot and 1979 at Inverness had to come from behind for this one. A you never know if you la Ever have the Opportunity again a he said. A and for a while i thought that an Opportunity was All it  he had to have help to win it. A Mike gave me a Chance a Irwin said. A god bless him i almost wish he had  the help came Over two Days on two lapses by Donald an obscure career struggle who twice had one of golfs great prizes within his grasp. A 70th-Hole bogey in sundays final round dropped him Back into a tie with Irwin and set up the playoff because both men finished regulation play tied at 280, eight under Par. And another bogey by Donald on the 18th Hole of a playoff that was supposed to go Only that far gave Irwin a second Chance. That too dropped Donald Back into sports tie. He and Irwin each played the extra 18 in 74, two Over Par a respectable score in the winds that gusted to 35 Mph Over the no. 3 course at the Medinah country club. At 7,195 Yards it is the longest one used for an open. So for the first time in an open they went Back to the no. 1 tee and began play under a sudden death format. A standing on the tee i had a pretty Good suspicion that someone was going to Birdie that Hole a said Donald who had done it himself saturday sunday and earlier monday. He was right. With the wind blowing straight into his face Donald played a Low second shot under the gusts and ran it to the front of the Green some 30 feet from the Flag. Irwin took a different approach. He playoff cards Medinah 111. Apr cards of the two playoff competitors monday at the . Open Golf championship on the 7,195-Yard Medinah country club course Par out.434 454 534-36 Irwin out.434 464 535-38 Donald out.344 555 533-37 Par in.544 354 434-36-72�?360 Irwin in.555 344 334-36-74�?354 Donald in.554 344 435-37-74�?354 Irwin Defeated Donald with a Birdie on the first sudden death playoff Hole. Played a High second shot and let the wind Stop it about 8 feet from the cup. After Donald missed his Long putt the Ball Drifting off to the right Irwin ran the Winner Home and went leaping into the air before being embraced by his wife and daughter. It was not he was Quick to recognize an artistic Triumph. But it was achieved in a manner that has become Irwin a trademark Over 22 seasons on the tour. He kept plugging away making the most of what he had grinding and striving and persevering. It is the method he has used to collect 18 victories and a respected reputation among his Peers. A i had to keep pecking away. Not a see open on Page 26 Hale Irwin emotes after sinking Birdie putt on 19th Hole of mondays open  wanted to be a big Winner Medinah 111. Apr when Mike Donald finally found his place in Golf history it was so heartbreaking that even his opponent was touched. A god bless him i almost wish he had won a Hale Irwin said biting his lip and holding Back tears. A a he a a great  Donald too was near tears As his dream ended. This was not just any golfer who lost a his was one of golfs Good Guys if not one of the great golfers a Bachelor who has devoted his life to the game who committed to All but two tournaments the rest of the Way because he has nothing he would rather do. He said before mondays playoff he considered himself a Winner but just wanted to be the big Winner. Instead he becomes the first Man to lose a sudden death playoff in the . Open. He had it in his hands too. He led by two strokes with three holes to play and knew a if i made three Good solid pars id be All right the championship would be  even after Irwin birdied no. 16 to get within a stroke the tournament was Donald a to lose As he stood on the 18th tee. Did he feel the pressure a yeah a he reflected but he added a my heart Wasny to pounding. In be been a lot More nervous trying to make the Cut sometimes. A i was just trying to Tell myself a one More Good tee  a that Wasny to to be. Using his Short Driver he hooked the Ball into the Trees played a Low running 5-Iron under a limb into a greenside Bunker and hit out of the trap Short 15 feet away. Still he had a Chance. The Par putt for the tournament looked Good but two feet from the Hole it became obvious it would just slide by on the right. Irwin made his own Par two putting from 25 feet and they went Back to no. 1 for sudden death but it was anti climactic. After birdies there saturday sunday and to Start mondays playoff Donald missed a 30-footer for Birdie and then watched As Irwin Sank the winning 8-footer. Thus ended a classic underdog Story. Some will say that Donald was not just choked up that he choked. In truth he lasted far longer than anyone could have expected. This was the Guy who shot 64 to Lead the first round of the masters and fell apart with an 82 the next Day. This was the Guy who had been on the pea tour for 11 years and Hadnot won until last year in the Anheuser Busch classic in Williamsburg a. A in a sudden death playoff it should be noted. A if i can to be Happy with a week like this then its stupid to play Golf a said Donald who earned $110,000 As runner up. A the Challenge is what its All about. A i did no to take a 10 on the last Hole. I did no to shoot 78 out there. I played a respectable  sports radio baseball a California at Chicago 2 . Thursday