Golf: Quiet Texan snaffles the cash

There is no excuse for calling American golfer Ryan Palmer a wallflower.

He has always trusted his own game and he showed that by backing himself to win the $1.2 million Clearwater Classic in Christchurch yesterday.

The Texan has modest credentials which didn't hint at the likelihood of him banking the winner's cheque of $A189,473 ($207,000) in the second event on the United States' secondary Nationwide Tour, an Australasian and US PGA Tour co-sanctioned tournament.

But a course record 63 on Friday gave Palmer the second-round lead and he was never headed, signing for a composed four-under-par 68 yesterday and a tournament card of a 17-under 271.

That saw him protect the three-shot lead he held overnight over Australian Andre Stolz, who three-putted the last yesterday for a 68 and second place.

American Kevin Johnson shot 67 to finish third alone on 278, one clear of his compatriot David Branshaw, who also managed 67 in the benign conditions.

Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern carded 69 for fifth place on 279, one ahead of Canadian David Morland, defending champion Peter O'Malley and fellow Australian Chris Downes.

New Zealanders were nowhere to be sighted. Only four of 15 locals made the cut and the best of the survivors was amateur Mathew Holten, who scored 69 for a 285 total and a share of 36th place.

Palmer, 26, bombed out in his Nationwide debut a week ago in Adelaide when he failed to make the cut at the Jacob's Creek Open but that didn't even make the smallest of dents in his confidence.

"I knew I could win on this tour this year, I never had any doubts about that," a beaming Palmer said moments after being crowned champion of a tournament in just its second year.

"To win so early is obviously more than I expected and that makes it pretty special.

"My goal had always been to finish in the top 20 [to earn promotion to the PGA Tour] but after this I now want to go for the money title.

"I believe I can go on and win two more times this year."

Few would doubt him after a classy display in idyllic conditions at the Clearwater Resort where light breezes were less distraction for the players than a steady stream of air traffic arriving at and leaving nearby Christchurch Airport.

Stolz made a game of it by slashing his overnight deficit to just one stroke when he birdied the second and sixth holes, but Palmer responded in the manner of a worthy champion by flushing a nine-iron from 148m on the eighth for an eagle two.

That restored his advantage to three and marked an important turning point in Palmer's round - and potentially his career.

"I hit it perfectly solid and I knew it was all over the flag and would be close.

"That really jump-started my round," Palmer said.

He had only one blemish on the back nine, a bogey five at the 13th that resulted in him coming home in 34, after birdies at the 12th, 14th and 15th.

Until his hiccup at the 18th, Stolz had played superbly as he tried to pressure his playing partner Palmer, with five birdies highlighting a round that earned him $A107,368.

That was enough to propel him to the head of the Australasian tour order of merit, with his season's earnings $A403,480 after six events.

Stolz, who sunk a 15m birdie putt on the short 11th, won't have the chance to improve further on that as the tour is about to enter its winter hibernation and won't resume until November.

In the meantime, Stolz is preparing to head to Japan and will be buoyed after a fine performance here, particularly yesterday, when he kept Palmer honest by hitting 17 greens in regulation.

"I played great. I only had about four chances to put the pressure on the leader today. There is a reason someone is leading the tournament and good luck to him.

"He made about five magic up and downs out there, so good on him."

- NZPA