Sabbatini slips, recovers for Nissan win

Rory Sabbatini blew a four-shot lead, then quickly emerged from a four-way tie Sunday with a tee shot into 5 feet for birdie on the pivotal par-3 16th to escape with a one-shot victory in the Nissan Open in Los Angeles.

Sabbatini closed with a 1-over 72 -- the highest final round by a winner at Riviera since 1977 -- to finish at 13-under 271 for his fourth career victory. He outlasted Riviera favorite Fred Couples, won for the first time on the PGA Tour in three years and finally had something to show for his strong start to the season.

But he never felt safe until lagging a 45-foot putt on the 18th hole to within a foot, leaving him a tap-in for par to avoid a playoff with defending champion Adam Scott. Scott started the final day nine shots behind, and shot 31 on the back nine to close with a 64.

Couples, a two-time winner at the Nissan Open, had bogeys on three of his last four holes for a 71 to finish fourth. Craig Barlow, who also had a share of the lead with three holes to play, missed two short putts down the stretch and had to settle for a 70 that left him in third.

Champions Tour

Loren Roberts survived a battle on the final hole to win The ACE Group Classic in Naples, Fla., becoming the first golfer to open a Champions Tour season with three wins.

Roberts parred the last 12 holes, and 60-year-old Hale Irwin put his approach shot in the water on the closing hole at The Club at TwinEagles.

Playing in the group behind Irwin, Roberts two-putted from 35 feet to clinch the victory with a final-round 69 and 14-under 202 total -- one shot ahead of Brad Bryant and R.W. Eaks.

Bryant birdied the last hole to finish with a 70, and Eaks had a 67 despite missing a birdie putt at the last hole. Irwin double-bogeyed No. 18 to finish at 204.

-- From wire reports