South African Trevor Immelman won his first title on the US PGA Tour today, holding off world number one Tiger Woods and number three Vijay Singh to win the Western Open.
Immelman clinched his victory by sinking a 30-foot, right-to-left breaker for birdie at the last to complete a four-under-par 67 for a total of 13-under 271.
Woods mounted a back-nine charge with four birdies that brought him within one stroke of Immelman, before the South African clinched it at the last.
The 26-year-old Immelman, a runner-up twice on the US Tour in May, fell to the ground after the birdie putt fell and rolled onto his back in glee.
Woods shot 67 for 273 and a tie for second with Australian Mathew Goggin, who posted a steady two-under 69 on a warm, sunny day at Cog Hill.
"He has come so close," Woods said in a TV interview after Immelman's clinching putt. "He has an inordinate amount of talent. Good for Trev."
Singh, like Woods, had also crept to within one shot of the lead before Immelman's title-clinching birdie.
After Immelman's celebration at the 18th, Singh hit his approach shot into the water and ended up with a double-bogey six for nine-under 275, a total he shared with five others.
Also finishing tied for fourth at 275 were last year's winner Jim Furyk, fellow-American Stewart Cink, South African Tim Clark, Australian Stephen Leaney and Sweden's Carl Pettersson.
- REUTERS
Golf: Maiden victory for Immelman
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