Furyk soaks up victory, millions

Golfer Jim Furyk lets loose after sinking a 2 /2-foot par putt to win the Tour Championship and capture the FedEx Cup title on Sunday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Golfer Jim Furyk lets loose after sinking a 2 /2-foot par putt to win the Tour Championship and capture the FedEx Cup title on Sunday at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

— The biggest shot of his career gave Jim Furyk the biggest payoff in golf.

Clinging to a one-shot lead, with a $10 million bonus riding on the outcome, Furyk nearly holed a bunker shot and knocked in the 2 1 /2-foot par putt he had left to win the Tour Championship and capture a FedEx Cup that came down to the very last hole Sunday.

Furyk closed with an even par 70 for a one-shot victory over Luke Donald in a steady rain at East Lake.

Donald, who chipped in from 100 feet for birdie on the 17th hole to keep his hopes alive, was waiting in the scoring trailer when Furyk hit his hybrid on the 230-yard closing hole into the bunker. A bogey would mean a sudden-death playoff to decide the FedEx Cup.

1

It was the 16th career victory for Furyk, but none that ended like this.

When he rapped in his short par putt with his hat turned backward, he plucked the ball out of the cup, just like always. Then, he dropped his putter and turned toward the grandstand with a powerful thrust of his fist and screamed with delight.

Furyk earned $1.35 million for winning the tournament, and $10 million from the FedEx Cup. He moves to No. 5 in the world ranking.

In its fourth year, it was by far the most riveting finale of the FedEx Cup. With an hour to go, the five players who had a chance to win the cup included Nick Watney, who started the week as the No. 28 seed in a 30-man field.

It was all in Furyk’s hands when he birdied the 15th to build a three-shot lead, and Paul Casey bogeyed the 17th hole ahead of him. But Furyk had to scramble for bogey on the 16th, couldn’t reach the green on the 17th and made another bogey as he watched his lead slip to a single shot playing one of the toughest holes at East Lake.

The sand shot could pay off in more ways than a big bonus. It was the third victory of the year for Furyk, which could be enough for him to be voted PGA Tour player of the year. No one else has won more than twice.

The $10 million should at least help buy the greatest alarm clock ever made.

Furyk was the No. 3 seed when the playoffs began, but was disqualified from the opener when he missed his pro-am time at The Barclays because the battery died in his cell phone, which he used for an alarm.

In the end, Furyk joined Tiger Woods as the only FedEx Cup champions to miss the first playoff event - Woods in 2007 because he didn’t want to play, Furyk this year because he couldn’t.

Furyk finished at 8 under to become the first player to be outside the top 10 in the standings at the Tour Championship to win. Matt Kuchar, the No. 1 seed, shot a 71 and tied for 25th. This Sunday was so bizarre that Kuchar still had a chance to win the FedEx Cup.

Kuchar wound up second in the FedEx Cup and earns a $3 million bonus. Donald, who closed with a 70, moved up to third in the standings and picked up an extra $2 million.

Retief Goosen also had a chance at East Lake until a bogey on the 17th. He shot a 71 and finished alone in third at the Tour Championship. Watney (67) and Casey (69) tied for fourth.

The celebration was dampened by a two-hour rain delay that sent most of the fans home from East Lake. For those who stayed, it was tough to applaud with one hand on the umbrella as the rain pounded the players over the final hour of competition.

Even so, a FedEx Cup finale has never had so many possibilities, so much movement.

Watney wasn’t even a remote candidate when he went into the weekend tied for 25th in the 30-man field, 13 shots out of the lead. Then came a 63 in the third round, and he kept right on going. Watney shot a 28 on the back nine Saturday, then had a 30 on the front nine Sunday to pull within one shot of the lead.

Even as the 28th seed, Watney could have won the FedEx Cup with a victory at East Lake, provided top-seeded Matt Kuchar did not finish alone in 25th.

EUROPEAN

Vivendi Cup

CHAMBOURCY, France - England’s John Parry won the Vivendi Cup for his first PGA European Tour title, shooting a 2-under 70 for a two-stroke victory over Sweden’s Johan Edfors.

The 23-year-old Parry, a former Walker Cup player who turned professional in 2007, finished at 17-under 271 at Golf de Joyenval Club. Edfors closed with a 71. Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, the lone Ryder Cup player in the field, finished with a 64 to tie for eighth at 13 under.

CHAMPIONS SAS Championship

CARY, N.C. - Russ Cochran won his second straight Champions Tour title, shooting a 1-under 71 for a two stroke victory over Tom Pernice Jr. in the SAS Championship.

The 51-year-old Cochran, a winner for the first time on the 50-and-over tour weeks ago in South Korea, became the third wire-to-wire winner in tournament history, finishing at 14 under at Prestonwood.

Pernice, the 2009 winner, closed with a 68.

John Cook (70) was third at 10 under, and Bernhard Langer (68), Mark Calcavecchia (69), Bobby Clampett (69) and Ted Schulz (72) followed at 9 under.

NATIONWIDE WNB Golf Classic

MIDLAND, Texas - Nate Smith won the WNB Golf Classic for his first Nationwide Tour title, shooting a 6-under 66 for a two-stroke victory over Alistair Presnell, Fabian Gomez and Brandt Jobe.

Smith, a 27-year-old former Duke player in his first season on the tour, finished at 18 under on the Midland Country Club course. He earned $94,500 to jump from 78th to 25th on the money list with $153,054. The final top 25 on the money list will earn 2011 PGA Tour cards.

Ron Whittaker (Little Rock) shot 1-under 71 to finish at 12-under 276 to earn $8,663 Brenden Pappas (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot 2-ynder 70 to finish at 11-under 277 to earn $7,088.

Sports, Pages 15 on 09/27/2010

Upcoming Events