Golf: Cook wins Schwab Cup as friend ails
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2009, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

John Cook had a tough time staying focused Sunday in the final round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championships. Loren Roberts had no such problem.

Cook spent the morning exchanging text messages with Joey Sindelar, his former Ohio State teammate who was hospitalized Saturday after having a pulmonary embolism. Then Cook went out and won the season-ending tournament by five strokes for his second Champions Tour title in three weeks.

"That kind of shocks you a little bit when one of your compadres goes down," said Cook, who closed with a 3-under 69 to finish 22-under 266 at Sonoma Golf Club.

"That's serious stuff. I don't like to see anybody, friends or family, go down like that. I was thinking of him all day."

Cook, also the Administaff Small Business Classic winner two weeks ago in Texas, broke the tournament record of 268 shared by Jim Thorpe and Andy Bean.

Roberts shook off two days of struggles for a second straight 66 to tie for sixth at 13-under 275 and win the points title and $1 million annuity for the second time in three years. He had to hold off a strong surge from Bernhard Langer (68), who also finished at 13 under.

"I played two totally different golf tournaments in one week," Roberts said. "The first two days I really didn't hit it very good and I really didn't putt well. You just hate to get to the end and blow it."

He didn't, shooting 12 under over the final two rounds. Roberts, the 2007 points champion, said he plans to donate a portion of his winnings to a Sacramento-area school district to help keep girls' and boys' golf programs going.

Russ Cochran (68) finished second in the tournament. Brad Bryant (69) and Jeff Sluman (68) were 15 under, and Phil Blackmar (69) was 14 under.

European Tour

England's Ross Fisher beat Anthony Kim 4 and 3 in the final of the World Match Play Championship at Finca Cortesin in Casares, Spain.

Fisher eagled the 22nd hole and birdied the next to take a 3-up lead. Kim won the next hole, but the American missed short putts at the next two, then squandering several chances to win holes down the stretch.

Leaders

Charles Schwab Cup

John Cook -22

Russ Cochran -17

Jeff Sluman -15

Brad Bryant -15

Phil Blackmar -14

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