Jay Haas wasn't sure how to react after winning the rain-shortened Administaff Small Business Classic on Sunday.
Haas learned he won his sixth career Champions Tour title while sitting in the players' locker room when tournament officials announced that the Augusta Pines course was unplayable.
He took a five-stroke lead into the final round after shooting a 9-under 63 in the second round Saturday. Haas started the final round with his only bogey of the tournament and was 17-under par after five holes when officials stopped play.
He won $240,000 with a 36-hole total of 128. Bruce Lietzke and Tom Purtzer each got $128,000 in a tie for second place at 133.
``Usually when you win, you get congratulated by those in your group, but this way I got to see all the players at once in the locker room,'' said Haas.
Haas' fourth Champions Tour victory this season moved him atop the Charles Schwab Cup Championship points list ahead of Loren Roberts, who failed to earn points in the tournament.
Rain pounded the course at midweek and again early Sunday.
``I was trying not to watch weather maps last night, not trying to say `what if,''' Haas said. ``I will say when I woke up this morning and it was dry, it confirmed what I had thought _ that I was going to have to play.
``I had to gear up for rain delay or whatever.''
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 a Champions Tour event ended after two rounds. Tom Jenkins won his seventh career Champions Tour victory in the rain-shortened SAS Championship.
This 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.
``It was Jay's tournament,'' Lietzke said. ``The only way Tom and I had a chance was for Jay to have a bad day, but he was the class if the field.''
Roberts, who finished with a 139 total, now trails Haas by 156 points. The top 30 players in the point standings qualify for the Charles Schwab Cup Championships.
``I've been chasing Loren, now he can chase me,'' Haas said. ``He was making a move and he was going to get some points, so I'm sure he's disappointed.''
© The Canadian Press, 2007
