In tears seven days ago in San Diego after blowing a big lead - dropping the final strokes with a triple-bogey 8 on the final hole - and losing a playoff, Stanley took advantage of Spencer Levin’s meltdown yesterday to win his first PGA Tour title.

“I’m not sure what I’m thinking right now,’’ Stanley said. “I just needed to focus on playing golf. I needed to put last week behind me.’’

Stanley closed with a bogey-free 6-under-par 65, holing a 4-foot par putt on the par-4 18th, to finish at 15-under 269.

He cried again, this time tears of joy.

“I just want to thank my mom and dad. They’ve done a lot for me. I’m speechless,’’ Stanley said in the scoring area moments after the victory.

Ben Crane had a 66 to finish a stroke back.

Levin, six strokes ahead entering the round and seven in front after one hole, shot a 75 to finish two strokes behind Stanley.

“I just didn’t have it,’’ Levin said. “Maybe I was looking ahead too much and trying too hard. What are you going to do? I tried my best.’’

The 24-year-old Stanley, the long-hitting former Clemson star from Gig Harbor, Wash., birdied the par-5 13th and par-4 14th to take a one-stroke lead at 15 under.

Levin, winless on the PGA Tour, birdied the 14th to regain a share of the lead, but dropped back with a double-bogey 7 on the par-5 15th.

“I really feel for him,’’ Stanley said. “You don’t want to wish that on anyone. He’s a very good player.’’

Stanley parred the final three holes, playing a great recovery shot from under cactus to the right of the short par-4 17th.

He birdied Nos. 2, 3, 8, 9, and 11 to get to 13 under, and within three strokes of the faltering Levin.

Levin birdied No. 4 to reach 18 under, but bogeyed Nos. 4 and 6 and dropped two more strokes on Nos. 11 and 12 to let Stanley into the mix.

“I don’t really know,’’ Levin said. “I felt all right early.’’

Last week at Torrey Pines, Stanley led by seven shots early in the final round, and still had a four-shot lead as he stood on the tee at the par-5 18th.

But his third shot had too much spin and didn’t get high enough on the green, spinning quickly down the slope and into the water. He three-putted from 45 feet for the triple bogey, then lost to Brandt Snedeker on the second playoff hole when his 5-foot par putt caught the right edge of the cup.

Did this victory erase last week?

“Not really,’’ Stanley said. “I’m never going to forget that.’’

D.J. Trahan had a 66 to finish fourth at 12 under, and Brendan Steele (64) was another stroke back along with Kevin Na (65) and Bubba Watson (70).

Phil Mickelson shot a 73 to tie for 26th at 6 under.

European - Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie chipped in for an eagle and a birdie on his way to winning the wind-shortened Qatar Open, shooting a 7-under 65 to hold off Jason Day and Peter Hanson.

Lawrie finished with a 15-under total of 201 to win his seventh tour event and his second in Qatar. Day (65) and Hanson (67) tied for second, four strokes back.

First-round leader John Daly (67) finished fourth at 9 under, with Sergio Garcia (68), Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (65), Ricardo Gonzalez (70), and Soren Hansen (66) another shot back in a tie for fifth.

The win moved Lawrie into the top 45 in the world.

Ladies European - Christel Boeljon birdied the final hole for a 4-under 68 to edge So Yeon Ryu (72), Kim Ha-neul (67), and Diana Luna (67) by one stroke to win the Australian Ladies Masters in Gold Coast. Boeljon finished 21-under for a 267 total at the Royal Pines course.