Feb 21, 2005 By Golf Roundup 3 min read

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) – Former European Ryder Cup captain Mark James won his second Champions Tour title Sunday, birdieing the final two holes for a two-stroke victory over Hale Irwin and Tom Wargo in The ACE Group Classic. James closed with a 6-under 66 for a 13-under 203 total at The Club at TwinEagles. Wargo finished with a 66, and Irwin had a 68. Second-round leader Mike McCullough (71) tied for fourth at 10 under with Jerry Pate (68) and Mike Reid (68).

James earned $240,000 in the $1.6 million event.

“It’s very satisfying to win again,” said James, the Ford Senior Players winner last year as a senior rookie. “You feel, well, you might just have gotten lucky once, but to get lucky twice is stretching the imagination a bit. So yeah, it feels good.”

Curtis Strange, playing in his first event on the 50-and-over tour, shot a 74 to tie for 49th at 3 over. He had a double bogey on No. 18 after hitting into the water.

The 59-year-old Irwin, the tour’s career victory leader with 41, eagled No. 17 from 20 feet to get within a shot, but finished with a par on No. 18.

“With Hale breathing down your neck, that’s not a nice feeling,” James said. “He just only had to look at the ball today and it dived into the cup. It was quite incredible.”

Irwin’s approach shot on No. 18 bounced off the back of the green.

“I knew I had to get back to the hole,” Irwin said, referring to the back right pin position. “I just didn’t know how hard the green was.”

“When his went over, I had to think, well, that he’d probably not make 3 even though he’s a frighteningly dangerous player,” James said.

James avoided any added drama by sinking a 23-footer for birdie.

“I didn’t want to have an 18-incher,” he said. “I was so pleased to see that go in.”

Malaysian Open

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee successfully defended his Malaysian Open title, closing with a 2-under 70 for a three-stroke victory.

Thongchai, a 34-year-old former paratrooper, had a 21-under 267 total on the Saujana course. India’s Jyoti Randhawa (67) finished second.

Sweden’s Henrik Stenson (67) was third at 17 under in the event co-sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.

Jacob’s Creek Open

ADELAIDE, Australia – Australia’s Steven Bowditch won the Jacob’s Creek Open, finishing with a 1-under 71 for a five-stroke victory in the event co-sanctioned by the Nationwide and Australasian tours.

Bowditch had an 11-under 277 total on the Royal Adelaide course. Ryan Armour and Nathan Green tied for second.