Lake buena vista, November 16: Stephen Ames tiumphed in a playoff on Sunday to claim his second title in three years at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic on Sunday.
The Trinidad-born Canadian, who won this title in 2007, kept his cool on slick, dry greens to close the tournament with an eight-under par 64 for 270.
He was in the clubhouse with the lead when overnight co-leaders George McNeill and Justin Leonard both carded 67s to join him on 18-under and in a playoff.
Leonard’s 16-foot putt for a victory at the 72nd hole lipped out – coming close enough to have the American prematurely pumping his fist before seeing the ball would not drop.
Leonard was then eliminated at the first playoff hole when he twice left putts short.
“To be this close and not be able to pull it out is disappointing,” Leonard said. “Obviously, I thought I made it by my reaction. I was surprised it didn’t go in.”
Ames claimed his fourth PGA Tour title.
“At the end of the day yesterday, I said if I shot 64 I had a good chance at winning the tournament,” Ames said. “Sure enough, I ended up shooting a 64, which was great.”
At the second playoff hole, the 15th, McNeill hit a good tee shot to the right fringe. Ames was 30 feet short of the hole and lagged his birdie putt inside two feet. He tapped in before McNeill hit his birdie attempt – and sent it almost five feet past.
When McNeill’s putt coming back failed to drop, Ames was the winner.
“I played well today,” said Ames, who had one bogey and nine birdies. “It’s nice.”
England’s Justin Rose, who also shared the 54-hole lead, closed with a 68 to share fourth place with Australian Nick O’Hern (67) on 17-under.
The final PGA Tour event of the season saw players scrambling to finish in the top 125 on the money list and secure their cards for next year.
Nicholas Thompson shot a 66 on Sunday and moved from 132nd on the money list to No. 123. Former world number one David Duval was on the bubble spot at the start of the week, but missed the cut and finished outside the top 125.
Rich Beem, the 2002 PGA Champion, shot a 68 to finish at 10-under for the tournament, which proved good enough to put him at 122 on the money list.
He admitted the pressure got to him in the first two rounds. A talk with his coach on Friday helped settle him down.
“I never expected myself to feel the way that I did,” Beem said. “When somebody tells you that you can’t do your job next year when you know you’re so close, that’s not such a good feeling.”
—Agencies