By Kim J. Harmon

CROMWELL – When Chris Riley stuck his approach shot at No. 17 to within eight feet of the cup, the two-stroke deficit he was facing no longer seemed insurmountable.

But then Peter Jacobsen – who made, perhaps, one mistake the entire afternoon while putting together an amazingly steady round of golf – popped his approach about 15 feet past the cup and then watched as the ball spun back to within four feet.

Riley missed his birdie, but Jacobsen drained his … and just like that, the match was over.

About 20 minutes later, after a par on No. 18 finished off a round of 67, the 49-year-old Jacobsen – who is heading for the PGA Senior Tour next year – claimed his second Greater Hartford Open championship (and a $720,000 check).

It was another exciting finish for the Greater Hartford Open, which will undergo a transformation next year, as Buick becomes the new title sponsor.

It is a three-year agreement (at some $2.5 million a year) in which the tournament will now be named the Buick Championship. Buick is the title sponsor at three other PGA tour events – the Buick Invitational in La Jolla, California; the Buick Classic in Rye, New York; and the Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

With the agreement, the Greater Hartford Jaycees – who are the main beneficiaries of the event – will have the ability to involve other significant local and national sponsors to help cover the remaining costs associated with the tournament.

“We are pleased to have a company of such stature as Buick become our partner,” said Roger Gelfenbien, chairman of the Title Sponsor Advisory Committee. “Buick is committed to professional golf at the highest level. With Buick’s involvement, we will become an even more popular and significant tournament on the PGA tour.

More than 300,000 people attend the GHO every year. In its 52-year history, the tournament has generated more than $24 million for the Greater Hartford Jaycees, who support numerous community projects and offer charitable grants and scholarships.

The 2004 Buick Championship is scheduled for August 23-29 at River Highlands.

“As the number one sponsor of golf, Buick is extremely pleased to become the title sponsor of the Buick Championship beginning in 2004,” said Buick General Manager Roger Adams in a statement. “For many years, the Greater Hartford Open has been one of the most popular and well-attended events on the PGA Tour. We look forward to partnering with the Greater Hartford Jaycees and the PGA Tour to take the Buick Championship to an even higher level of prominence.

As for this championship, it seemed as if it was Jacobsen’s to lose. He entered the final round on Sunday nursing a one-stroke lead over Riley (thanks to Riley’s blistering 63 on Saturday).

Riley, Craig Barlow, Kenny Perry, and Todd Fischer all took a run at the wiley veteran. Perry and Barlow were always in the hunt and Fischer carded a nifty round of 5-under par to get himself in the clubhouse early at -11.

Willie Wood had a shot, too, after grasping the tournament lead on the back nine Saturday. But he let the lead slip from his grasp with a bogey and double bogey and, thus, Jacobsen became the third player this year to lead a tournament wire-to-wire.

While Jacobsen was steady throughout the round on Sunday, Riley doomed his own chances by knocking two balls out of bounds (one of those coming on the first tee). Of course, Riley also helped himself with an eagle on the par-4 15th hole that narrowed the gap between him and Jacobsen.

Perry was also in the hunt until the 17th, but then he knocked his drive into the water that borders the right side of the fairway. After ripping a solid approach shot, he missed the par putt and the bogey effectively knocked him out of contention.

Fischer finished third, three shots off the lead, with a solid round of 5-under par on Sunday. Steve Pate, Barlow and Perry finished fourth, four shots off the lead, while Briny Baird, Joe Durant and Robert Damron finished fifth, five shots off the pace.

Henry, who had his own gallery of local fans cheering him on, finished the tournament at -5.

Jacobsen, regarded as one of the true ambassadors of the game of golf, had an enthusiastic following and continuously acknowledged the crowd as the conquered the 6,797-yard course. After he rocked his drive on No. 15 to the right side of the green, Jacobsen – with the tournament by no means locked up – joked with some fans about how to handle the near impossible chip.

When it was all over and the presentations had been made, Jacobsen thanked the fans that had supported him throughout the week and thanked tournament director Dan Baker, the tournament committee members, and all the sponsors that helped keep the Greater Hartford Open on the PGA schedule.

And in the spirit of the moment, with the emotions of the day coming to an ebb, Jacobsen issued a jovial challenge to Tiger Woods – a Tour spokesman for Buick – to come to River Highlands in 2004 and take him on.

The suggestion received an enthusiastic response from the crowd.

Travelers Pro-Am

With an 18-hole tournament whittled down to nine holes because of rain and a seemingly shorter list of celebrities on hand, comedian Bill Murray – a last minute addition – nevertheless turned the Travelers Pro-Am last Wednesday into another rousing success.

Actor Leslie Nielsen, former NFL star Bo Jackson, former NHL star Kevin Dineen, John Madden (the hockey player), Governor Rowland, singer Michael Bolton, UConn men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun, UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, NBA Hall of Famer KC Jones, UConn football coach Randy Edsall, and most of the anchors of ESPN may have spiced up the tournament – but Murray stole the show.

Teeing off with PGA pro Scott Simpson in the afternoon, Murray – most known for his time with Saturday Night Live and in his role as groundskeeper Carl Spackler (“It’s in the hole!”) – began the antics almost immediately. On the first tee he joked with the crowd, shouted encouragement to Simpson and the three other amateurs in the group (during their back swings, no less) and then ripped off a fine drive.

Murray continued to enjoy a huge gallery throughout the afternoon.

In the morning, Suzy Whalley – the first woman to qualify for a PGA tour event in nearly 60 years (since Babe Zaharias did it in 1945) and a darling of the local golf fans – played before an enthusiastic throng during the Pro-Am on Wednesday and even more boisterous crowds on Thursday and Friday. The signs – GO SUZY – where still in evidence on Sunday afternoon even though she had failed to make the cut.

Even though two-time defending champion Phil Mickelson finished 16 shots off the lead, all of it made for another stupendous week at the TPC at River Highlands.

And although it will not longer be known as The Greater Hartford Open, the Buick Championship will remain as one of the hottest stops on the PGA tour.

Even hotter if Tiger comes, huh?