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RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico: American rookie Derek Lamely fired a six-under par 66 in Monday's final round to win his first US PGA title, capturing the storm-interrupted Puerto Rico Open.
Lamely missed the cut in four of seven prior starts this year and had never cracked the top 10 in a tour start before capturing the 630,000-dollar top prize in this 3.5 million-dollar event thanks to a bogey-free final round.
Storms wiped out almost all play Thursday and Friday, forcing a Monday finish on a field of lesser lights, most of golf's big names playing at the World Golf Championships CA Championship that was won Sunday by Ernie Els.
After completing a tournament-low round of 63 on Monday morning to finish 54 holes, Lamely began off the 10th tee and birdied 13, 16 and 17. He added birdies at the par-5 second and fifth holes as well as the par-4 fourth.
Top rivals had most of the back nine to catch Lamely's 72-hole total of 19-under par 269 but none was up to the task, with American Kris Blanks firing a 69 to claim second at 271.
Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge, who fired a final-round 68, shared third on 272 with Americans Kevin Streelman and Steve Wheatcroft and Australian James Nitties, who fired a final-round 69.
Australian veteran Steve Elkington fired a final-round 69 to share seventh on 273 with Americans Woody Austin and Bryce Molder. - AFP/de
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