TURNBERRY, Scotland — Seattle native Fred Couples won the Senior British Open by two strokes over fellow American Gary Hallberg on Sunday after holing a 25-foot putt to finish with consecutive birdies.

The 1992 Masters champion shot a 3-under-par 67 in the final round to finish at 9-under 271 on the Ailsa course at Turnberry.

Hallberg shot a 66, matching the best round of the day with American Mark Calcavecchia and Carl Mason.

English duo Barry Lane (69) and Mason and American Dick Mast (67) had a share of third place at 4 under. Overnight leader Bernhard Langer dropped five shots in five holes on the way home to shoot a 75 and slip into a tie for sixth place in the major tournament for players at least 50 years old.

"I've never won an Open Championship, so this is the next best thing," said Couples, 52. "And I believe I now get into the (British) Open at Muirfield next year, which is great. It was a fun day out there. Bernhard and I were neck and neck for a long time. Then I saw Gary had birdied the 17th to draw level, so I knew I needed to birdie 17.

"I hit a couple of great shots down 17 and two-putted for birdie, then the hole got in the way for my birdie putt at 18."

Couples has won two majors for 50-and-older players. He took the 2011 Senior Players Championship in Rye, N.Y., but made it clear Sunday's title meant more.

"It's my biggest senior-tour win, by far, on a truly great golf course," said Couples, who earned $315,600. "I can now say I won the Senior British Open at Turnberry in really challenging weather."

Couples was locked in a struggle with Langer until the German double-bogeyed No. 12 and Couples had a birdie for a three-shot swing in his favor.

Langer, 54, bogeyed three holes in a row starting with No. 14 in a back nine he termed "a disaster."

Langer, who won the 2010 Senior British Open at Carnoustie, praised Couples.

"Fred played very well, a solid round of golf, and I think he deserves to win," Langer said. "He finished in style with birdie, birdie. That's like a great champion, so it was well deserved."

Kirk Triplett (67), a graduate of Pullman High School, tied for 15th place at 2 over.

Piercy triumphs

in Canadian Open

ANCASTER, Ontario — Four straight birdies put Scott Piercy into the mix early. One big par at the end made him a winner at the Canadian Open.

Piercy won on the PGA Tour for the second time in his career when he closed with a 3-under 67, and William McGirt (69) and Robert Garrigus (70) stumbled on the closing stretch at Hamilton Golf & Country Club to finish a stroke back.

McGirt, atop the leaderboard for much of the final round, had his first three-putt bogey of the week on the 15th hole when he ran a 45-foot putt about 15 feet past the hole. Tied for the lead playing the 18th, he put his approach into the bunker and blasted out to 18 feet, missing a par putt that would have forced a playoff.

Garrigus, the 54-hole leader, missed six putts inside 8 feet and said, "I should have won this golf tournament by seven shots. Everybody knows that."

The 33-year-old Piercy, who earned $936,000, won while sitting in the clubhouse. He two-putted for par from 50 feet to finish at 17-under 263 and tie the oldest 72-hole scoring record on the PGA Tour. Johnny Palmer had a 263 when he won the 1952 Canadian Open at St. Charles in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Ex-Washington Huskies golfer Richard H. Lee (70) tied for 48th at 3 under. Kyle Stanley (69) of Gig Harbor tied for 61st at 1 under.

Other tournament

• South Korean Inbee Park won the Evian Masters, closing with a 6-under 66 for a two-stroke victory over third-round leader Stacy Lewis (68) of the United States and Australian Karrie Webb (67) in Evian-les-Bains, France.

Park, 24, had a 17-under 271 total and earned $487,500.