Bonus prize for Wagner: a spot in Masters

Posted April 06, 2008 11:00 pm

Associated Press

Johnson Wagner was watching highlights from the 2002 Masters late Saturday night, and his wife scolded him for it.

Now, he has the chance to create some Augusta moments of his own.

Wagner won the Houston Open at Humble, Texas, on Sunday for his first PGA Tour victory and got the ultimate bonus prize that comes with it -- a spot next week in the Masters.

"Sounds funny, you know, even saying it," Wagner said. "I don't care if I shoot 90 both days and miss the cut. I'm so excited to be there and it's just a dream come true."

The 28-year-old Wagner shot a 1-under 71 to finish at 16 under, 2 shots ahead of Chad Campbell (72) and Geoff Ogilvy (68). Billy Mayfair and Fred Couples shot 66s and finished 3 shots back at 13 under.

Bob Estes and Charley Hoffman, 3 behind Wagner at the start of the round, had 72s that left them 4 behind.

Wagner had missed six cuts in nine previous starts this year and was ranked 193rd on the money list when he arrived in Houston.

He matched defending champion Adam Scott's course-record 63 in the first round, then held the 36- and 54-hole leads at an event for the first time in 44 career starts.

Cap Cana Championship: Mark Wiebe completed a wire-to-wire victory in the inaugural Cap Cana Championship at Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, closing with a 5-under 67 for a 4-stroke victory over Vicente Fernandez.

Wiebe finished at 14-under 202 and earned $300,000 for his second victory in 12 career starts on the Champions Tour. The two-time PGA Tour winner won his first Champions Tour title in his tour debut last fall in the SAS Championship.

Fernandez, who turned 62 on Saturday, finished with a 65, matching the course record set Saturday by Joe Ozaki. Jay Haas (68) and Craig Stadler (67) tied for third at 9 under, and Denis Watson (66), Fulton Allem (68), Nick Price (67) and Scott Hoch (70) followed at 8 under.

Estoril Open: France's Gregory Bourdy won the Estorial Open in Cascais, Portugal, for his second European tour victory, beating England's David Howell with a par on the third extra hole.