Shigeki Maruyama became the first Japanese player to win a PGA Tour event on
the United States mainland by triumphing in dramatic fashion at the Greater
Milwaukee Open.
The 31-year-old sank a five-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to
hold off Charles Howell and take the title after carding a five-under-par 66 for
a 72-hole total of 18-under 266.
Isao Aoki, a member of the Senior PGA Tour, is the only other Japanese player
to claim a PGA event, capturing the 1983 Hawaii Open.
Maruyama becomes the sixth first-time winner on the USPGA Tour this year and
the eighth player to make the Greater Milwaukee Open his first career victory.
"I cannot describe my feelings at the moment," he said.
"It was one of my dreams since I started playing golf. I'm really pleased to
achieve my goal."
JP Hayes and Tim Herron tied for third at 269, one shot ahead of Brent
Geiberger, Blaine McCallister, Kenny Perry and Harrison Frazar.
Jeff Sluman began the final round with a one-shot lead over Frazar but
struggled to a one-over 72 and tied for 10th at 271.
Collated final totals (US unless stated):
266 S Maruyama (Jpn) 68 65 67 66, C Howell 66 69 67 64
(Maruyama won play-off at first extra hole)
269 JP Hayes 69 66 71 63, T Herron 69 69 64 67
270 B Geiberger 65 68 70 67, B McCallister 69 65 70 66, K Perry 66 63 71 70, H
Frazar 70 68 62 70, K Choi (Kor) 70 68 66 66
271 J Haas 64 71 69 67, S Hoch 67 68 68 68, S Lowery 72 69 66 64, J Sluman 67
68 64 72, B Tway 69 72 66 64
272 S Kendall 73 67 65 67, D Peoples 71 68 66 67, S Stricker 68 66 69 69
273 T Armour III 73 66 67 67, T Byrum 70 67 66 70, B Claar 68 68 71 66, G
Day 72 69 66 66, J Kaye 70 71 65 67, B Quigley 72 67 67 67, M Muehr 69 70 67 67
274 C Franco (Par) 71 66 68 69, C Spence 68 65 70 71, R Coughlan 69 70 67 68
275 J Blake 67 69 67 72, M Dawson 65 69 68 73, P Goydos 72 68 68 67, B Hughes
(Aus) 68 70 67 70, F Lickliter 73 66 70 66, DA Weibring 65 75 70 65, B Baird 67
67 73 68, B Elder 68 67 70 70
276 W Austin 71 70 70 65, J Green 67 73 69 67, N Lancaster 71 70 68 67, J
McGovern 70 70 68 68, C Pavin 70 68 70 68, L Roberts 74 67 67 68, S Simpson 71
70 64 71, C Smith 66 66 72 72, C Barlow 72 69 69 66, C Kresge 72 65 67 72, J
Riegger 71 66 69 70
277 R Damron 72 69 67 69, D Forsman 71 70 68 68, J Kelly 68 71 67 71, L Mize
68 72 68 69, L Porter 70 69 67 71, T Purtzer 71 70 67 69, C Beckman 72 68 71 66,
J Ogilvie 75 65 67 70, J Smith 69 70 65 73
278 B Burns 68 69 69 72, S Gump 70 69 69 70, P Jordan 70 71 70 67, S Pate 66
71 68 73, D Dunakey 75 66 70 67
279 J Edwards 70 69 71 69, B Fabel 69 69 67 74, D Hammond 69 70 68 72, P
Jacobsen 69 72 66 72, C Perry 68 70 66 75, C Stadler (Aus) 69 66 73 71, F
Zoeller 69 71 68 71, JJ Henry 72 69 70 68
280 C Bowden 68 70 69 73, M Bradley 69 72 70 69, S Murphy 70 71 71 68, E
Toledo (Mex) 68 66 71 75, B Watts 66 70 73 71, R Beem 70 68 72 70
281 F Langham 69 71 71 70, M Reid 69 71 74 67, M Standly 70 70 73 68, B
Jobe 67 70 69 75, C Perks 70 69 69 73
282 S McRoy 68 73 69 72, D Stockton Jr 68 72 68 74
283 T Tryba 72 69 72 70, G Nicklaus 70 71 72 70
284 M Wilson 71 67 70 76
285 D Pride 71 70 73 71
286 K Johnson 73 68 76 69, T Isenhour 69 70 73 74
287 J Hart 69 71 75 72
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook