Jim Furyk carded a 4-under-par 68 to win the PGA Grand Slam by eight strokes over Mike Weir.
US Open champion Furyk pocketed US$400,000 of a US$1 million purse Saturday and snapped Tiger Woods' record string of five straight victories in the exclusive 36-hole event for the winners of this year's four majors. Furyk wound up 9 under on the 7,081-yard Poipu Bay course.
Furyk, who won twice this year on the PGA Tour and finished fourth on the money list, was never seriously threatened. He opened Friday with a 67, good for a five-stroke lead over Masters champion Weir.
PHOTO: AP
Weir, the first Canadian to win a major, closed with a 71 to earn US$250,000. PGA champion Shaun Micheel shot a 70 to finish 10 strokes back at 145 and collect US$200,000. British Open champion Ben Curtis was another shot behind after a final-round 73 and made US$150,000.
It was the first event in the Grand Slam's 21-year history featuring all first-time major champions. But it was nine-year tour veteran Furyk who showed his experience.
He held off his opponents with strong iron play, maintained his five-stroke advantage at the turn and birdied Nos. 10, 12 and 14 to pull away.
Furyk hit a 5-iron approach shot from 158 yards to set up a 6-foot birdie putt on the 435-yard 12th hole. The birdie, coupled with Weir's bogey, gave Furyk a commanding eight-stroke lead.
He went up by another stroke on par-4 14th when he hit a wedge within 6 feet of the cup.
Furyk's round included five birdies and one bogey. He had a total of 11 birdies for the tournament. His opponents combined for 15.
His bogey on No. 15 broke his string of 29 bogey-free holes.
The final round was played in balmy and slightly breezy conditions on the course on southern coastline of Kauai.
Poipu was designed around several ancient Hawaiian "heiaus" or sacred worship sites and features 86 bunkers and seven water hazards. The scenic course has a backdrop of the lush, green, rugged mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other.
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