In just his second event on the Tour of Champions Doug Barron held off a World Golf Hall of Fame member and won the Dick's Sporting Goods Open by two shots over Fred Couples on Sunday at En Joie Golf Club.  Play was halted at 3:53 PM with lightning strikes in the area and resumed at 6:05 PM.  At the start of the delay Couples had just finished his final round and had a share of the lead at 15-under par. Couples won the B.C. Open Championship in 1991. Barron had played 14 holes in his third round. He played in seven B.C. Open tournaments and never won on the regular PGA Tour.

Couples put on a magnificent run shooting a 9-under round of 63 to vault into a share of the lead. Barron was steady throughout the tournament and did not let the weather delay cause him any problems.  When play resumed he made two birdies on his last four holes to ice the victory.

It was an amazing journey for Barron who was up at 4:30 AM and back on the course at 7:00 AM to complete his final four holes of his second round.  Then back to tee off at 12:25 for his third round.  Barron shared the lead with Miguel Angel Jimenez after the first round and held a one shot advantage after the second round.

It has been a truly amazing month for Barron who played his first Tour of Champions tournament at the Sr. Open on the day after he turned 50.  There he finished tied for fifth place with Colin Montgomery.  Heading into the Dick's Open he had to quality and did so on Monday at the Links at Hiawatha Landing.

Woody Austin finished in third place at 13-under par.  It is his seventh top-10 finish this season.  In six Dick's Sporting Goods Open tournaments Austin has finished in the top-10 four times.

With the win Barron earns a check worth $307,500.  The victory also gives him an exemption on PGA TOUR events through the 2020 season.

WNBF News/Roger Neel Photo
WNBF News/Roger Neel Photo
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