FALMOUTH — Rosie Jones of Atlanta rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole to beat Lorie Kane of Prince Edward Island and win the Harris Golf Charity Classic of the Legends Tour Sunday at Falmouth Country Club.

Jones’ sixth career Legends Tour win was worth $25,000. Kane won $16,000. Both players finished regulation 36 holes at 8-under 136 after firing a pair of 68s over two days.

It equaled the longest playoff in Legends Tour history. In 2005 at the BJ’s Charity Pro-Am in Quincy, Mass., comprised of two-women teams, they also played five playoff holes.

But the difference this time? There was a winner. In the team event, they called it because of fading light and the teams split the first-place prize.

Jones and Kane kept returning to the 18th hole, a 368-yard par-4 with the second shot over water to a large, undulating green.

For a while, it looked like this might be a victim of dusk too as Jones and Kane kept making pars and then returning to the tee in carts. Jones nearly ended it in each of the first three playoff holes as her putts just slid by. Kane’s best chance came on the fourth go round as she had nearly the same putt as Jones’ winner, but missed to the right.

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Of the winning putt, Jones said: “It broke about a ball out from the right.”

And the good thing, there was still light when it dropped.

“It was a long round,” said Jones. “That’s the longest playoff I’ve had since maybe when I was 20 years old. I knew I had to keep my emotions in check. I’ve been in a lot of playoffs and I’ve learned you have to stay patient and hit the next shot. I have to give credit to Lorie. Both of us played those five holes, and 18 is a tough hole, and to have nine pars and one birdie to win it. I thought was really great.”

Both players admitted to be tired. With the sun fading and the temperature dropping, it amounted to a survival test.

“What happens is you start to lose your legs a bit,” said Jones. “I’m a little bit older than Lorie, I mean a lot older, and I don’t hit it as far. You have to try to stay mentally focused and not over swing. I’m really proud of the way I played the last four holes in regulation and definitely proud of the way I played the playoff holes.”

Kane can be equally proud. On the last playoff hole, Kane said she pulled her 8-iron second shot just slightly. It ended up left of the hole, just on the collar. Her putt came up short, setting the stage for Jones’ winner.

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“The thing about Rosie is that she lives and dies by her putter,” said Kane. “I knew I needed to get into the hole before she did. It didn’t surprise me she made the putt because I knew she was going to make something.”

Kane looked like she might run away on the front nine as she made five birdies, including three in a row, to shoot 31 and grab a four-shot lead at 9-under.

But a double bogey on 12, caused by three putts from 15 feet, dropped her to 7-under, letting Jones back.

Jones, playing ahead of Kane,  birdied 11 to trail by one and then knotted things with a birdie at the par-5 14th hole. Moments later, Kane took a one-shot lead by matching Jones’ birdie at 14.

Jones tied it once again with an 8-foot birdie on 17 after lipping out for birdie on 16. Jones saved par on 18 with a 5-footer. Kane parred the last four holes, but lipped out for birdie on 16 and 17. She two-putted from 40 feet on 18 to make par.

First-round leader Barb Mucha of Orlando, Fla., shot an even par 72 to finish at 139 for third. She gave the gallery at the 18th green a thrill by sinking a 60-foot birdie to secure third.

Tom Chard can be contacted at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH


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