ALOHA, Ore. -- Tom Watson birdied the final hole to take the lead then retreated to the scorer's room to see if Tom Kite or Jim Ahern would extend the day.
First Ahern failed on a short putt. Then Kite. And Watson emerged from the room Sunday as a one-stroke winner of the Jeld-Wen Tradition, the final major of the Champions Tour season.
"I was given a gift," Watson said. "I was very happy, obviously."
Watson, Kite, Gil Morgan and third-round leader Ahern were tied for the lead at 14-under after 17 holes.
After Morgan shot par on the hole, Watson's third shot from the bunker on the par-5 18th at the Reserve Vineyards and Golf Club bounced right toward the hole.
He made his winning 4-footer, wrapping the day up with a 2-under 70 for a 15-under 273. Then he readied for a possible playoff.
Ahern, known more for long drives than his putting, missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the 18th to finish with an even-par 72 and a 14-under 274.
"I never had a chance," he said.
Kite, the 1992 U.S. Open winner, missed a 5-footer that would have forced the playoff, ending the day with a 1-under 71.
"We all had our chances today. Tom did the things he needed to do," Kite said. "I let the tournament get away."
Watson, who also won the Senior British Open, birdied the par-5 15th to take a one-stroke lead over Morgan.
But on the next hole, Watson hit into the water and took a bogey to fall back to 14-under through 16 holes.
"After bogeying 16, I said, 'Well, I lost it here,"' he said.
Morgan, a two-time winner of the Tradition, parred the final hole to finish with a 4-under 68 on the day, and in the group at 14-under for the tournament.
Morgan won in 1997 and 1998 at the Desert Mountain Golf Club. The Tradition moved to Oregon this year after 14 years in Arizona.
Ahern started the day with a one-stoke lead at 14 under, but had a roller-coaster final round with four bogeys and an eagle.
Morris Hatalsky, last season's rookie of the year on the Champions Tour who won the Columbus Southern Open earlier this season, finished with a 72. He was at 13 under for the tournament with Bruce Summerhays, who shot a 66.
Watson was a four-stroke leader shooting 10-under 62 in the second round -- a record low round in the Tradition.
It was his sixth overall victory on the Champions Tour. He has won 39 times on the PGA Tour with eight majors.
Defending champion Jim Thorpe shot a 71 to finish three strokes back.
Jack Nicklaus, who was playing in his ninth and final tour event this season, was given a standing ovation by the gallery as he approached the 18th green. He finished four strokes back of Watson with a 70 on Sunday.
With the victory, Watson earned $330,000 to increase his earnings this year to $1,534,608 -- the most he's ever made in a single season.
He also earned 990 Charles Schwab Cup Points to move ahead of Bruce Lietzke in the standings.
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