Golf
Lamely wins Puerto Rico Open
2010-03-16 10:25
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Rio Grande - American rookie Derek Lamely fired a six-under par 66 in Monday's final round to win his first PGA Tour title, capturing the storm-interrupted Puerto Rico Open.
Lamely missed the cut in four of seven prior starts this year and had never cracked the top 10 in a tour start before capturing the $630 000 top prize in this $3.5 million event thanks to a bogey-free final round.
"I just kept on trying to make birdies," Lamely said. "I kept on trying to be aggressive."
Storms wiped out almost all play on Thursday and Friday, forcing a Monday finish on a field of lesser lights, most of golf's big names playing at the World Golf Championships CA Championship that was won Sunday by Ernie Els.
After completing a tournament-low round of 63 on Monday morning to finish 54 holes, Lamely began off the 10th tee and birdied 13, 16 and 17. He added birdies at the par-5 second and fifth holes as well as the par-4 fourth.
"I'm still a rookie out here, even though I just won," Lamely said. "There's tons I can learn still."
Lamely became the first PGA event winner to start his final round on the back nine since Keith Clearwater at the 1987 Colonial. He did so after his charge to the top in the last two rounds.
"I knew if I kept playing well and I kept trying to make birdies, I knew I would get within striking distance," Lamely said.
Top rivals had most of the back nine to catch Lamely's 72-hole total of 19-under par 269 but none was up to the task, with American Kris Blanks firing a 69 to claim second at 271.
Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge, who fired a final-round 68, shared third on 272 with Americans Kevin Streelman and Steve Wheatcroft and Australian James Nitties, who fired a final-round 69.
Australian veteran Steve Elkington fired a final-round 69 to share seventh on 273 with Americans Woody Austin and Bryce Molder.
Scores on Monday after the final round of the storm-interrupted $3.5 million PGA Tour Puerto Rico Open (USA unless noted; par 72):269 - Derek Lamely 69-71-63-66
271 - Kris Blanks 65-70-67-69
272 - Kevin Streelman 67-68-64-73, Brendon de Jonge (ZIM) 69-68-67-68, James Nitties (AUS) 68-66-69-69, Steve Wheatcroft 68-67-67-70
273 - Woody Austin 69-68-66-70, Steve Elkington (AUS) 68-70-66-69, Bryce Molder 71-71-65-66
274 - Chad Collins 69-65-68-72, Bill Lunde 68-72-68-66
Notable others:277 - Henrik Bjornstad (NOR) 70-68-70-69
278 - Jeev Milka Singh (IND) 70-70-68-70, Graham DeLaet (CAN) 67-69-69-73, Jhonattan Vegas (COL) 69-67-68-74, John Daly 69-73-66-70
279 - Carl Pettersson (SWE) 72-67-69-71, Aron Price (AUS) 72-65-70-72
282 - Peter Gustafsson (SWE) 67-73-69-73, Daniel Barbetti (ARG) 68-72-69-73, Phil Tataurangi (NZL) 72-69-71-70, Manuel Villegas (COL) 72-69-72-69
283 - Jarrod Lyle (AUS) 69-70-73-71
284 - Richard S. Johnson (SWE) 70-72-71-71, Matthias Gronberg (SWE) 69-71-73-71
287 - Cameron Percy (AUS) 69-72-70-76