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MIAMI - American golfer Mark Calcavecchia survived an untidy finish to clinch his 13th PGA Tour title by one shot at the Tampa Bay Championship in Palm Harbour today.
Two ahead with three holes to play, Calcavecchia bogeyed 16 and 18 before compatriot and playing partner Heath Slocum missed a four-foot par putt on the final green to force a playoff.
Calcavecchia, who lipped out from seven feet to bogey the last, completed a one-under-par 70 on the Copperhead Course for a 10-under total of 274 and his first victory in two years.
Slocum, co-leader overnight with Calcavecchia, had to settle for a closing 71 and a tie for second with Australia's John Senden (66).
Americans Lucas Glover and Brian Gay fired 69s to share fourth place at eight under, one ahead of compatriot Charles Howell III (65) and twice champion K.J. Choi of South Korea (72).
"It was all over-the-place stuff," the 46-year-old Calcavecchia told reporters after setting up his first title since the 2005 Canadian Open with three birdies in four holes after the turn.
"It went from being pretty good to messy at the end.
"I hit a bad iron shot there," he said of his approach at the last, which ended up in thick rough one yard short of the green.
From there, Calcavecchia chipped out to seven feet before his par putt flirted with the right edge of the cup before lipping out.
"I was happy with the way I hit that putt, but I never expected Heath to miss his," he added.
Calcavecchia, whose only major victory came at the 1989 British Open, appeared to have the tournament firmly in hand after moving two strokes clear midway through the final round.
After briefly surrendering the outright lead with a bogey at the par-four 10th, he regained control with three birdies over the next four holes.
He laid up in two at the par-five 11th before hitting a wedge to three feet, rolled in a double-breaking putt from 30 feet at the par-three 13th and coaxed in a delicate, right-to-left putt from 23 feet at the par-four 14th.
Although he missed a four-footer to birdie the par-three 15th after hitting a superb tee shot from 200 yards, he held a two-stroke advantage with three holes to play.
Calcavecchia dropped his second shot at the difficult par-four 16th, where his drive narrowly cleared a water hazard to the right, to set up the dramatic finish over Copperhead's notorious closing stretch.
World number nine Vijay Singh, the highest-ranked player in the field, finished at three under after signing off with a 69, his best round of the week.
- REUTERS
