MATTIACE MASTERPIECE 12-YEAR-PRO WINS FIRST TITLE AFTER BOGEY DERAILS MCCARRON.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

For 11 holes Sunday, it looked not only like Scott McCarron's tournament to win but also maybe his tournament record to claim.

It wound up being Len Mattiace's escape from PGA Tour purgatory.

Mattiace, a 12-year professional who had not won in 219 previous tour starts, overcame a three-stroke deficit in the final seven holes Sunday at Riviera Country Club and won the 76th Nissan (formerly Los Angeles) Open when McCarron bogeyed No. 18.

Mattiace, who played a conservative approach shot to the final green in an attempt to avoid bogey, parred that hole to wind up 15-under-par 269 for the week and earn $666,000. McCarron, whose more aggressive approach wound up in the greenside kikuyu rough to precipitate the bogey, finished 71 to tie Brad Faxon (68) and Rory Sabbatini (68) for second at 270, a shot ahead of midway leader Taru Taniguchi, who closed 71 for 271.

``Basically, I laughed at myself,'' the disappointed but good-natured McCarron said after three-putting the final hole, the first putt from out of clumpy kikuyu about 25 feet from the cup. ``I lost the tournament. It was mine to win.''

Or maybe it was just time for Mattiace to catch a break.

He had been in McCarron's place at the 1998 Players Championship, where he shared the lead going into the par-3 17th, only to take an 8 there after hitting two shots into the water and another into a bunker on that island hole.

The 34-year-old Wake Forest alumnus, who is a good friend of McCarron's, sounded as sympathetic for his playing partner as he was proud of his own perseverance.

``You don't ever want to see a guy make a mistake like that,'' Mattiace said, ``but I'm very happy with the way I hung in there.''

As he should be, considering what a solid position McCarron held with seven holes to play.

After McCarron, the former UCLA player who was boosted throughout the tournament by a supportive gallery, birdied No. 11 to get to 17 under par, he seemed a strong threat not just to win but also tie or maybe break Lanny Wadkins' 1985 tournament record of 20 under par.

One day earlier, McCarron had played those final seven holes, on 12 to 18, in 4 under par during a second consecutive 65 that gave him the tournament lead.

But on Sunday, golf happened to McCarron - who hit good shots all day, only to be undone by three missed putts and a bad break in the wind.

A three-putt bogey on No. 12 dropped him to 16-under while Mattiace was recording his fourth birdie in five holes to get to 15-under. That one was the most impressive of the bunch, as Mattiace holed out a 30-foot bunker shot that barely cleared the lip of the greenside hazard and rolled into the cup.

Three holes later, on the par-3 16th,, McCarron hit what he called a perfect 6-iron, only to have the wind hold it up and deposit in a greenside bunker, resulting in another bogey and a drop to 15-under.

One hole later, Mattiace pulled even at 15-under, tapping in a birdie putt after his long eagle attempt bounced off the back of the cup. When McCarron then missed his own birdie putt, both players went to the 18th tee tied for the lead.

Mattiace lagged his 20-foot first putt to within a foot and a half of the cup, then tried not to think - even while thinking McCarron might hole out his long first putt from the kikuyu.

``I thought, sure, he can run this in,'' said Mattiace, who expected the same on McCarron's next attempt after the first putt caught in the kikuyu and stopped eight feet short of the cup.

``Sure, it's a tough pill to swallow,'' said McCarron, who couldn't win despite shooting 69-65-65-71, his best showing ever at a Nissan Open. ``But I played well all week.''

Mattiace, who said it took a month for him to get over the pain of his collapse at the Players Championship, hopes the satisfaction of Sunday's breakthrough victory lasts at least that long.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) Len Mattiace pumps his fist after a long putt lipped, but he went on to win the Nissan Open.

(2) Scott McCarron is disappointed after failing to birdie the 14th hole at Riviera Country Club. He later bogeyed the 18th hole to end his title bid.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer