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14ft putt wins first title for Bateman

02/07/2007

Brian Bateman holed a long-distance putt on the 18th green to win his maiden PGA Tour title at the Buick Open in Michigan.

The American (-15 overall) drained a 14-footer that swung significantly from right to left to avoid a four-way play-off with countrymen Jason Gore, Justin Leonard and Woody Austin (all -14) at Warwick Hills.

Bateman entered the final day in second behind Tom Pernice Jr but when the overnight leader slumped to a disappointing final-round 75 – by far his worst round of the tournament – the door was open for the chasing pack.

And it was the 34-year-old who held his nerve to sink his birdie putt for a round of 69 to win the $882,000 prize outright, holding off the challenge of Gore (final-round 67) and Leonard (67) who both finished strongly.

Scott Verplank, who had been tied with Bateman in second place after the first three rounds, endured a frustrating final day with a three-bogey final round of 71, one over par, to end the tournament on 13-under.

European Jesper Parnevik (-11) had also been in contention but was one-over for the day as he dropped to joint-16th overall. Swedish countryman Fredrik Jacobson was the top-placed European while England's Brian Davis finished tied for 20th on ten-under-par.

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