Graeme McDowell claimed his first title since 2015 with victory in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in the Dominican Republic.
Leaderboard
- -18 McDowell
- -17 Stroud, Hughes
- -16 Byrd
- -15 Kraft, McDaniel
Day four report
McDowell carded five birdies and two bogeys in a closing 69 to finish 18 under par, a shot ahead of Canada's Mackenzie Hughes and American Chris Stroud, who had held a one-shot lead with two holes to play.
However, while Stroud bogeyed the par-three 17th, playing partner McDowell hit a superb tee shot to six feet and converted the birdie putt before both players bogeyed the 18th.
The victory gives McDowell a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and will lift the former US Open champion from 257th in the world to inside the top 150.
"It's been a rough few years," the 39-year-old said. "It's been a grind. On 16 green, I said to myself, 'You've got to do something that's tournament-winning'. The shot to 17 was tournament-winning level."
Back in the winner's circle!
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 31, 2019
For the first time since 2015, @Graeme_McDowell is a winner on the PGA TOUR.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/Z6lwqVUmuj
McDowell began the day with a one-shot lead and surged three clear thanks to three birdies in the first four holes, but Stroud birdied four holes in a row from the fourth and also picked up shots on the 14th and 15th to take the lead before suffering a costly finish.
Ireland's Paul Dunne finished in a tie for 12th following a final round of 71.
Speaking about the crucial birdie on the 17th, McDowell added: "I've been struggling with my long-iron play all week, medium and long-iron play.
"It's a shot I've been working on on the range the last few days and it was a perfect six iron, it was a perfect number for me and when it came off the bat I knew it was pretty good."
Stroud was magnanimous in defeat, adding: "To be honest, Graeme earned it. He hit some great shots and 17 is a perfect example.
"He hit a lot of good shots today and didn't get rewarded. He got rewarded there.
"I hit the ball really poorly today and I did a really, really good job of making awesome pars, making some birdies when I had a chance.
"I just hit it pretty poorly, and to have a chance to win hitting it that poorly makes me feel pretty good. Even coming down the last two holes, I hit a pretty poor chip on 17 after hitting a horrendous six iron."
Day three report
Graeme McDowell produced a stunning display with the putter to move into a one-shot lead in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship.
The former US Open champion fired a Friday 64 to storm into contention and followed it up with another eight-under-par round to put himself in prime position to win again.
Chris Stroud also fired a round of 64 to move into second place, with Sungjae Im and Aaron Baddeley tied for third and the quartet clear of the chasing pack.
McDowell made an ideal start to his round with a birdie at the first, and with the flat-stick firing two more saw him reach 10-under and a share of the lead.
A bogey at the fifth was followed by two more birdies, and another dropped shot at the eighth was again followed by a birdie at the ninth as he reached the turn in 32.
McDowell needed just one putt per green on every hole through to the 15th, where he made his 10th and final birdie of the round, before pars home saw him nose to the front.
Stroud went bogey-free, an outward 30 which included an eagle at the fourth followed by two more birdies on the back-nine.
Im on the other hand had reached 16-under and a three-shot lead, only for three late bogeys to see the Korean - who is battling for a Masters spot - fall into a share of third with Baddeley.
McDowell also has majors on the mind, with the Open Championship heading to his hometown of Portrush this summer.
The world number 257 will not qualify with a victory here, but it would be a big step in the right direction as he attempts to climb back towards the top of the sport.
Day two report
Graeme McDowell surged into contention for the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship after a brilliant second round in the Dominican Republic.
McDowell bounced back from an opening 73 to fire eight birdies in a flawless 64 on Friday to lie three shots off the lead held by Korea's Sungjae Im.
Im carded a second successive 67 to reach 10 under par, a shot ahead of Ireland's Paul Dunne, Australia's Aaron Baddeley and the American pair of Jonathan Byrd and George McNeill.
McDowell's 64 was his lowest on the PGA Tour in relation to par since an eight-under 63 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in 2015, an event he went on to win.
The former US Open champion had double-bogeyed his final hole on Thursday and told the PGA Tour website: "My iron play wasn't good enough and (the double bogey) made sure that I had something to work on this morning before I went on the golf course.
"So I was able to just focus on fixing that left shot that I had. I hit it several times yesterday and it got me in trouble of couple of times. I kind of needed a rescue today."
McDowell is exempt into this year's US Open at Pebble Beach, where he won in 2010, but has yet to earn a spot in The Open Championship at his home club of Royal Portrush.
Overnight joint leader Matt Jones is alongside McDowell on seven under after recovering from a quintuple-bogey nine on his first hole of the day to shoot 71.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo added a second round of 80 to his opening 79 to finish 15 over par.
Day one report
Ireland's Paul Dunne claimed a share of the lead after the first round of the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship.
Dunne, who finished joint fifth in the Dominican Republic last year, carded eight birdies and two bogeys in an opening 66 to join Matt Jones and Joel Dahmen at the top of the leaderboard on six under par.
Despite finishing third in the ISPS Handa World Super 6 earlier this year, Dunne told the PGA Tour website: "It's been fairly average. Things are starting to get better, I'm starting to get back in the swing of tournaments.
"It's nice to fill the gap here with a great event and hopefully I can make the most of it. I feel comfortable here.
"The couple of loose tee shots I normally hit in a round I can get away with here, so it plays to my strength a little bit. The breeze blowing for the week is nice, we're used to that."
Korea's Sungjae Im, who is the top-ranked player in the field, is a shot off the lead after a 67, while England's Brian Davis carded a two-under-par 70 and former US Open champion Graeme McDowell struggled to a 73.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, playing in the event for the second year in succession, is seven over par following a 79.
