Snedeker claims first PGA victory
Driscoll second in Nationwide event
Brandt Snedeker's 3-iron to within 32 feet on the par-3 17th set up a birdie putt that moved him ahead of Tim Petrovic for good, and the rookie finished with a 9-under-par 63 yesterday for his first career PGA Tour win, a two-stroke victory at the low-scoring Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C.
"I knew I was going to have to birdie one of the last two to give myself a chance," Snedeker said. "The way the scores were going, everybody was getting birdies everywhere."
Snedeker, a 26-year-old former Vanderbilt player, had the best round of the tournament. He finished at 22-under 266, earned $900,000 -- and, perhaps most important, jumped 17 spots to No. 9 on the
"Everything the tour has been telling us, you have a legitimate chance to win the FedEx Cup, [but] you've got to be inside the top 15," Snedeker said. "That's why I came here -- I wanted to get in the top 15 and give myself a chance. I know my game can leave me tomorrow and I can have the shanks. I wanted to go as high as I could."
Petrovic (67), of Newington, Conn., who was tied with Snedeker with two holes to play, joined Jeff Overton (70) and Billy Mayfair (67) two strokes back.
Carl Pettersson (68) -- a North Carolina resident and a member of the tournament's board -- finished three strokes behind Snedeker, who joined Shigeki Maruyama (2003) and K.J. Choi (2005) as recent winners at 22 under at Forest Oaks Country Club.
Overton played himself into the FedEx Cup. He came to Greensboro at No. 165 on the points list -- only the top 144 qualify -- but picked up 1,867 points and jumped to No. 109.
Players on the bubble who failed to qualify: No. 145 Eric Axley, No. 146 Lee Janzen, No. 147 Glen Day, and No. 148 Marco Dawson.
Nationwide -- Nick Flanagan won his third tour title of the year to earn an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour, closing with a 7-under 63 to beat James Driscoll of Brookline by a stroke in the
The 23-year-old Flanagan, the 2003 US Amateur champion, made a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th to finish at 10-under 270 on the Irondequoit Country Club course. He began the round seven strokes behind Driscoll (71).
"A dream come true to come out here and win three," said Flanagan, the eighth player in tour history to earn an in-season PGA Tour promotion.
Driscoll's runner-up finish moved him from 31st on the money list to 16th; the top 25 at season's conclusion advance to the PGA Tour.
Flanagan had an eagle and five birdies in the bogey-free round to beat Driscoll, who parred the final two holes after dropping two strokes on the par-4 16th.
LPGA -- Lorena Ochoa won the Canadian Women's Open in Edmonton for her second straight victory and fifth of the season, closing with a 2-under 69 for a three-stroke victory over Paula Creamer.
The top-ranked Mexican star, coming off her first major victory two weeks ago in the Women's British Open at St. Andrews, had a 16-under 268 total on the Royal Mayfair course. She earned $337,500 to raise her tour-leading total to $2,636,590.
Creamer finished with a 68. Shi Hyun Ahn (66) was third at 10 under, and Brittany Lang (67) and Laura Diaz (72) were at 9 under.
Cristie Kerr, the defending champ, shot a 75 to tie for 50th.
Champions -- Mark McNulty coolly shot a 68 to win The Tradition by five strokes at Sunriver, Ore., his first victory in a major.
McNulty didn't falter until the end, when he double-bogeyed the 18th hole, missing a 4-foot putt. He finished with a 16-under 272. His co-leader going into the final round, David Edwards, shot a 73 to finish at 11 under. D.A. Weibring finished at 10 under with a 72.
Loren Roberts, who won The Tradition in 2005, and Tom Kite each finished at 8 under. Money leader Jay Haas wound up at 3-under 285.
European -- Mikko Ilonen birdied the last hole, closing with a 2-under 68 to finish with a 6-under 274 total to win the Scandinavian Masters in Stockholm by two shots over Martin Kaymer (73).
