Ames comes back for Disney title
Lake Buena Vista, FL (Sports Network) - It took a final-round 64 and two playoff holes Sunday for Stephen Ames to finally emerge victorious at the Children's Miracle Network Classic.
Ames parred the second playoff hole to topple George McNeill and Justin Leonard for his fourth PGA Tour victory and second in three years at this championship.
"At the end of the day yesterday, I said if I shot 64 I had a good chance at winning the tournament," said Ames, who pocketed $846,000 for the victory. "Sure enough, I ended up shooting a 64, which was great." Ames' 64 was exactly what he needed to catch Leonard and McNeill, who both had 67s on Sunday. Leonard and McNeill were third-round co-leaders and Ames was tied for eighth at the start of the round, but they all finished regulation at 18-under 270.
Leonard was in the final group and appeared to be in good shape to win in regulation.
He had 17 feet at the closing hole for birdie and the win. He struck his putt and about two feet from the hole pumped his fist, but the ball hit the hole and lipped out.
The trio headed back to the 18th and Leonard and Ames found the fairway, while McNeill was in the trees on the right. Neither Leonard nor Ames hit great approaches and McNeill's second came up short of the putting surface.
McNeill pitched to four feet. Leonard's 65-foot birdie putt came up an eye- opening 13 feet short. Ames lagged his 35-footer inside three feet. Leonard missed his par putt short as well and had to hope his fellow playoff combatants would fall.
Neither did.
McNeill and Ames converted their par putts, said goodbye to Leonard and headed to the par-three 15th to continue the playoff.
McNeill hit a good tee ball on to the right fringe almost 15 feet from the stick. Ames hit his 30 feet short of the hole and lagged his birdie try inside two feet. He tapped in before McNeill hit his birdie putt to apply the pressure.
McNeill must have felt it because he knocked his birdie putt to win almost five feet past the cup.
His par putt coming back stayed above ground which gave Ames PGA Tour win No. 4.
"I played well today," said Ames, who had one bogey and nine birdies on Sunday, including two in his last three holes and five on the back nine. "It's nice." Justin Rose, a third 54-hole co-leader, had a four-under 68 in the final round and shared fourth place with Nick O'Hern, who carded a 67 on Sunday. The pair finished at minus-17.
Mathias Gronberg was the final third-round co-leader and the Swede posted a three-under 69. He recorded four rounds in the 60s and took sixth at 16-under 272.
Brian Davis (64) and D.A. Points (65) shared seventh at minus-15, followed by former Masters champion Zach Johnson (68) and Carl Pettersson (70), who tied for ninth at 14-under 274.
This was the final PGA Tour event of the season and the top 125 on the money list earned tour cards for the 2010 campaign.
Nicholas Thompson shot a 66 on Sunday and moved from 132nd on the money list to No. 123. David Duval was on the bubble spot at the start of the week, but missed the cut and finished outside the top 125.
11/15 17:17:37 ET
