Story by Doug Smith, correspondent for the Austin American Statesman

AUSTIN, TX (July 6, 2008)--Caroline Cooper is only 4 1/2 months old, so she can be excused if she does not remember Sunday's final round of the Firecracker Open at Lions Municipal.

She won't remember how her mom, Narjann, held her as her father, Michael, gave her a good luck kiss as he walked to the 18th green with a one-shot lead in the championship.

The good luck kiss worked. Cooper, who had driven the par-4 18th green, got down in two putts for a birdie, a final round 5-under 66 and what proved to be a winning 54-hole total of 12-under 201.

Cooper's 201 was good enough to hold off playing partner Brenden Redfern, the defending champion, and Scott Roudebush, who was playing in the final group, immediately behind Cooper. Redfern three-putted No. 18 for a 68 and third place at 203. Roudebush made par on the 18th for a 68 and second place at 202.

Six-time Firecracker champion Billy Clagett finished with an even par 71 to tie Andrew Workman for fourth place at 207.

Cooper and Redfern began the day tied at 7-under and two shots behind Matt Smith and Robby Ormand. Cooper, the 2003 Firecracker winner, and Redfern both shot 4-under 31 on the front nine to distance themselves from the rest of the field.

Cooper took the lead with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 14th, getting him to 12-under for the tournament, while Redfern made par to stay at 11-under.

Redfern and Cooper both made bogey on the par-4 16th. Redfern then sank a 10-foot putt for birdie on the par-3 17th, and he and Cooper went to No 18 all square at 11-under.

Cooper drove the green and two-putted from 40-feet for birdie and was in the house at 12-under par. Redfern's drive was 30 yards short of the green. He chipped to 18 feet but then thee-putted for bogey to finish at 10-under 203.

Cooper then waited as Roudebush, at 11-under par, played the 18th. A playoff seemed possible, but Roudebush made a par and Cooper walked off with his second Firecracker victory.

In addition to the 2003 Firecracker, Cooper has won two Austin City Championships, but he has been sidelined most of the last two years. He underwent surgery for a cancerous kidney two years ago and has been taking even more time off since the birth of Caroline on Feb. 19. This week's Firecracker was his first competition since last fall.

"This is such a special place and such a special tournament," Cooper said. "To have won it once is incredible. I can't put into words how special it is to win it a second time. There are so many great players in this tournament, and so many wonderful young players like Brenden. I'll be 39 this week, so for me to win against these guys is something special."

He donned a "Save Muny" T-shirt for the awards presentation (the fate of Lions Municipal, or "Old Muny", is up in the air as the University of Texas decides what it will do with the land on which the course sits), which included former Firecracker champion Ben Crenshaw. Crenshaw followed Cooper on the back nine.

Cooper's voice cracked with emotion as he accepted the trophy.

"Billy (Clagett) has won this six times, and he's 60-something," Cooper said. "I just hope I'm around long enough, and hope this course is around long enough to get somewhere close to that.

"But, today, it's hard to imagine being any happier. I'm living in Austin, playing golf, have the most wonderful wife in the world and the most wonderful daughter. It just can't get any better than this."

Final results from the Firecracker Open, played at Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin, TX, July 4-6, 2008: