MEMPHIS, Tennessee, 31 May 2005 — American Justin Leonard survived a nervous finish and a furious late charge from defending champion David Toms to claim a thrilling one-stroke victory at the St Jude Classic on Sunday.
Leonard began the day with a commanding eight-stroke lead, the largest on the PGA Tour this season after 54 holes, and needed all his advantage as he completed the final round at the TPC at Southwind with a three-over 73.
After carding just one bogey through his first three rounds, the former British Open champion had three on the final day as he staggered to the finish line with a 14-under 266.
“Winning ugly,” said Leonard, who led from start to finish. “I didn’t think he (Toms) would get that close. I just didn’t make the putts when I needed but I’m glad I made that last one.
“I didn’t play as aggressive as I wanted to.”
Toms was bidding to become the first golfer to win a PGA Tour event in three consecutive years since Woods claimed four victories from 2000 to 2003 at Bay Hill.
He appeared to have little chance of a third straight victory as he started the day 11 shots off the pace.
But a final round seven-under 63 that mixed six birdies and an eagle with a single bogey left Toms in sight of an unlikely victory after he finished with a 13-under total of 267.
“The last couple of days were good, the first couple I couldn’t make putts,” said Toms. “It just took me a couple of days to get use to this new (redesigned) golf course.”
Since 1970, 21 golfers had entered the final round of a PGA Tour event with a seven-stroke advantage and all won the title.
Leonard came perilously close to ending that run as he drained a nerve rattling three-foot bogey putt on the last to prevent a playoff and then collapsed on to the green in relief after sealing his second victory of the season.
After clinching the Bob Hope Classic already this year, Leonard joined world number one Vijay Singh, Masters champion Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Kenny Perry as the only winners of two or more PGA Tour events this season. American Fred Funk fired a final round two-under 68 to finish alone in third on nine-under 271 with Davis Love III and Heath Slocum one shot further adrift on eight-under 272.
Hole-in-One Sparks Kang to Corning Victory
Jimin Kang parlayed a hole-in-one into a two-shot victory over fellow South Korean Meena Lee and superstar Annika Sorenstam at the LPGA Corning Classic on Sunday.
Kang carded a six-under-par 66 for a 15-under total of 273, two shots clear of Lee and Sorenstam.
Kang and Lee arrived at the 18th tied at 15-under. Lee pushed her drive into the tree, leading to a double-bogey. Kang dropped a short par putt on the final hole to pick up the $165,000 first prize in the $1.1 million event.
A bogey on the par-five 14th slowed Kang’s charge, but she responded with an ace on the par-three 15th and a birdie on 16.
Kang hit an eight-iron to four feet on 14 but proceeded to three-putt for a deflating bogey.
She did not let it affect her for long, as her nine-iron on the 125-yard 15th took two hops and found the bottom of the cup.
Another nine-iron, to 12 feet, set up a birdie at 16. France’s Karine Icher, the surprise third-round leader, faltered with a two-over 74 and finished tied for sixth at 10-under.
Sorenstam, the best women’s golfer in the world, has been taking antibiotics to fight off a nasty cough over the weekend. She had three birdies on the front nine but was unable to make a run thanks to three bogeys on the front side as well.
