Colombian Camilo Villegas claimed his maiden PGA Tour title with a two-shot victory over Dudley Hart at the BMW Championship on Sunday in St. Louis, Missouri, while Vijay Singh tightened his grip on the FedEx Cup trophy.
Villegas sealed the win at the Bellerive Golf Club with a nervy final round two-under 68 and a winning total of 15-under 265.
"It's been a crazy week with the weather and the long days but you know what, I'll do whatever it takes to win," Villegas said. "My first tournament (win) on the PGA, it feels great and the first of many hopefully.
"I had a lot of support from the fans. They kept asking me, 'when am I going to win?' I guess they've got it now.
"I finally did it, not only for me but everyone back home.
"Back home it's all about soccer but I'm sure tonight they'll be celebrating my victory."
Singh, who won the first two events of the FedEx playoff series, finished in a tie for 44th and realistically only has to show up at the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta and play all four rounds to win the trophy and a US$10 million bonus.
Singh was in no mood to discuss his good fortune racing from the course, but Villegas was in no hurry to exit as he celebrated what many believe was a long overdue victory.
With top five finishes in two of his previous three starts, the 26-year-old Colombian had hinted at a breakthrough.
Level with third round clubhouse leader Jim Furyk at 12-under when play was halted on Saturday due to darkness, Villegas returned early on Sunday to complete his final five holes and seized a one shot lead.
Hart started the final round five shots behind Villegas and turned in a bogey-free effort that included successive birdies on 17 and 18 to finish for a five-under 65. Furyk (70) and Anthony Kim (67) finished one shot further adrift at 12-under 268.
In Switzerland, Jean-Francois Lucquin beat Rory McIlroy with a birdie-3 on the second playoff hole on Sunday to win the European Masters.
McIlroy, 19, held a four-stroke lead going into the final round, but bogeyed two of the first three holes and then missed a five-foot putt for victory on the 18th to settle for a 71. McIlroy missed a one-foot putt and made bogey on the second playoff hole before Lucquin holed a 12-footer for his first European Tour win in his 175th attempt.
(Agencies via Shanghai Daily September 9, 2008)
