American Gay coasts to record victory
*Clinches second PGA tour title
*Sinks monster eagle putt
American Brian Gay, helped by a monster eagle putt at the second
hole, charged to a scintillating 10-shot victory at the Heritage Classic
in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina on Sunday.
Three ahead of the field overnight, Gay clinched his second PGA Tour
title after closing with a sparkling seven-under-par 64 at the
picturesque Harbour Town Golf Links.
Gay, who wore his trademark sunglasses all week, birdied three of the
last six holes to post a record tournament total of 20-under 264,
eclipsing the 265 set by American Loren Roberts in 1996.
"This feels great," Gay said in a greenside interview after making
only two bogeys in four rounds on a narrow tree-lined course.
"It was just a phenomenal week, virtually mistake-free. I didn't see
a leaderboard all day. We were just out there doing our thing. I just
wanted to stay focused and I kept looking down." Britain's Luke Donald
closed with an eight-birdie 66 to share second place at 10 under with
American Briny Baird (68).
Twice former U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen bogeyed the last for a 71
to finish a further stroke back in a tie for fourth with fellow American
Todd Hamilton (70).
Gay, widely regarded as one of the best putters in the game, set the
tone for his unforgettable day by rolling in a 10-footer to birdie the
par-four first.
He eclipsed that by sinking a 60-footer on the second green and
picked up further shots at the fifth and eighth to reach the turn in
five-under 31, seven strokes clear.
Gay, who had gone 37 holes without making a bogey, surprisingly
stumbled at the par-four 12th after missing the green to the left with
his approach.
However, he immediately recovered with a birdie at the par-four 13th,
coaxing in a curling 10-footer to regain his seven-shot cushion. After
Baird bogeyed the 14th to drop back to 10 under, Gay hit a wedge to
seven feet at the 15th and knocked in the putt to stretch his lead to
nine.
Despite ending up in a fairway divot off the tee at the par-four
16th, Gay struck another superb wedge approach over a tree to 16 feet
and holed the putt to get to 20 under.
ATLANTA, Monday, Reuters |