LUCK TURNS AROUND FOR MORGAN.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Golf

Even when it didn't really hurt him, the 18th hole at Valencia Country Club gave champion-at-last Gil Morgan a grim reminder in the final round of the SBC Classic.

Morgan, who had lost this Champions Tour event the past two years to 18th-hole heroics by others - including eagles by 2002 playoff qualifier Tom Watson and 2003 champion Tom Purtzer, both of whom finished a shot ahead of Morgan - witnessed another closing eagle Sunday, by final-group playing partner Larry Nelson.

This time, it wasn't enough. Nelson's near-44-foot eagle putt got him no higher than second place, two strokes back of Morgan, who finally exited Valencia smiling.

It was the fifth Los Angeles-area professional tour win for the soft- spoken Oklahoma native, who holds a Doctor of Optometry degree and keeps his license current, despite the unlikely need to support himself financially.

Sunday's victory increased his 31-year pro earnings total to $18.4 million and also gave him at least one victory in each of his nine years on the Champions Tour, where his 23 victories tie for fourth all-time.

There might have been a few more victories for Valencia's par-5 closing hole. That 546-yard uphill test, combined with strong stretch runs by Purtzer, Watson and 2002 playoff winner Tom Kite - who pulled off a difficult birdie putt on No. 18 to qualify for that playoff - denied Morgan two more victories.

But he has quality company among those bitten by No. 18, which includes large bunkers, thick rough and a difficult undulating green in its defense and the world's top-ranked golfer as one of its victims.

Tiger Woods fell to Billy Mayfair in a playoff on No. 18 at the 1998 Nissan Open - which was moved that year from Riviera Country Club to Valencia because Riviera was hosting the U.S. Senior Open five months later.

``It's a good finishing hole,'' Nelson said. ``I think any time you can finish on a par-5, anything can happen.''

Morgan can attest to that. After taking the lead with an eagle on No. 18 in the next-to-last group two years ago, he missed a playoff when Watson and Kite followed with their eagle-birdie closer. Last year, Morgan took a two-shot lead into No. 18 and lost when he bogeyed and Purtzer rolled in a 58-foot eagle putt.

``I didn't feel there was any way I could lose that tournament,'' he said of his final-round thoughts on the 18th tee last year, which is why he felt as relieved as satisfied to have survived Valencia's closing hole Sunday.

Morgan said No. 18 can make a big difference in a tournament whether it is playing into or with the wind.

``Downwind, it makes it a big pivotal type hole like last year, when Purtzer makes up three there, and, I think into the wind that hole gets pretty critical. If you've got a four-shot lead or something like that coming in there, I don't know if it would be a factor, but last year I wish I would have had a three-shot lead. At least I would have got out of there with a tie.''

--Next up, LPGA: Annika Sorenstam will defend her title in the Office Depot Championship against a top field April 2-4 at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana. Also entered are former event champions Karrie Webb, Rachel Teski, Grace Park and Se Ri Pak, 2003 U.S. Women's Open champion Hillary Lunke, 2003 LPGA Rookie of the Year Lorena Ochoa and two-time U.S. Women's Open champion Juli Inkster.

--Names in the game: Grant Haney, who helped St. Francis High of La Canada field one of its stronger teams last season, has made the traveling team as a freshman at Cal State Monterey Bay. ... Matt Baird of La Canada shot 29-33-62 to come within a stroke of the course record in winning a Golden State Tour event Monday at par-70 La Canada Country Club. Former Granada Hills High standout and three-time Los Angeles City Section champion Darren Angel was second at 31-33-64.

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