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Weekley clinches maiden title

16/04/2007

American Boo Weekley held off Ernie Els to win the Heritage Classic by one stroke in California.

With the final round played today due to the stormy weather, Weekley held his nerve to chip in to save par on the final two holes.

Weekley carded a final round of three-under-par 68 to finish on 14 under for the tournament to edge out Els and clinch his first PGA Tour victory.

Els birdied the 18th to finish on 70 for the day, 13-under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of third-placed Australian Stephen Leaney.

After starting the day two shots off the lead, Weekley eagled the fifth hole and birded the next to race up the leaderboard.

After building a three-shot lead going into the closing stages, the American nearly blew his hopes of victory after a bogey on the 16th.

He then recovered from poor shots on the final two holes with spectacular long-range efforts to seal victory.

Weekley pockets a winners' cheque for $972,000 and earns an exemption on the PGA Tour through 2008.

The victory will be consolation for Weekley after last month's harrowing defeat in the Honda Classic.

Weekley missed a three-foot putt on the final hole which would have given him the victory and was then defeated in the play-off.

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