Thorpe rallies for victory

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. -- Jim Thorpe rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole to overtake Bob Gilder and win the Long Island Classic on Sunday.

The victory, worth $225,000, ended a 42-tournament drought for Thorpe, who now has six wins in his fifth year on the Champions Tour. He shot a 3-under 67 in the final round to finish with a 54-hole total of 15-under 195 at the Eisenhower Park Red Course.

"I knew my game was sharp today and that Gilder was going to be a tough competitor," Thorpe said.

Gilder wound up with a bogey-free 66 for a 196 to finish second on the par-70, 6,806-yard course. He missed a chance to force a playoff by missing a six-foot birdie attempt on the final hole, and settled for a tap-in par.

"I seemed to make all the putts I needed except the last one," Gilder said. "Jim made shots when you needed them and his birdie on the 17th was big."

Gilder's second shot on the par-4, 455-yard 18th carried 201 yards to set up his birdie attempt, but the ball rolled inches past the cup.

"I read the putt to go straight," he said. "The ball was in a little hole and just seemed to jump away. Obviously, I'm disappointed."

Thorpe, who started the day with a two-stroke lead over Gilder after tying a Champions Tour record by shooting a 60 Saturday, double-bogeyed the par-4 fourth hole. That allowed Gilder to move in front, where he remained through the 16th.

Des Smyth had a final-round 67 to finish in third place at 11 under. Mike McCullough finished another shot back in fourth place after shooting a 67.

Russian Open

NAKHABINO, Russia -- Australia's Marcus Fraser made par on the second playoff hole to beat Austria's Martin Wiegele and win the title.

Fraser and Wiegele entered the final round tied and each shot a 4-under 68 to finish at 19-under 269.

-- From wire reports