Haas wins rain-shortened tournament

Sunday, October 15th 2006, 4:25 pm

By: News On 6

SPRING, Texas (AP) _ Jay Haas won his sixth career U.S. PGA Champions Tour title Sunday when rain forced cancellation of the final round of the Administaff Small Business Classic.

He took a five-stroke lead into the final round after shooting a 9-under 63 in Saturday's second round. Haas started the final round with his only bogey of the tournament and was 17-under par when the Augusta Pines Golf course was declared unplayable after five holes.

Haas won the tournament with a 36-hole total of 128. Bruce Lietzke and Tom Purtzer tied for second place at 133 over 36 holes.

The victory vaulted Haas into the lead in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship points race. He has surpassed Loren Roberts, who didn't pick up any points, by 156 points.

Haas earned $240,000 (euro191,235). Lietzke and Purtzer each made $128,000 (euro102,000).

Haas took a six-stroke lead into the final round of the Charles Schwab Cup Championship last year and eventually lost by one stroke to Tom Watson. He didn't lose any ground this time. After the opening bogey, he birdied the par-5 No. 2 hole and stayed five shots ahead until the rain ended it.

It was the second week in a row the American seniors tour event ended after two rounds. Tom Jenkins won his seventh career Champions Tour victory in the rain-shortened SAS Championship.

Sunday's stoppage was the first time the Champions Tour had consecutive tournaments halted by rain since 1992 when weather shortened the Nationwide Championships and the Vantage Championships.