HILTON HEAD ISLAND, April 19: Stewart Cink staged the second biggest comeback in PGA Tour history before beating Ted Purdy on the fifth hole of a sudden-death playoff to claim the Harbour Town Golf Links title on Sunday.
Cink came from nine shots down in the final round to tie his American compatriot on 10-under par 274 after 72 holes. A birdie at the fifth extra hole secured Cink's first PGA Tour win since his triumph at the same event four years ago.
Ernie Els shot a final round 69 to finish third on eight under par alongside Carl Petterson and Pat Sheehan. Cink, 30, shot a seven-under par 64 in his final round, to wipe out Purdy's overnight four-shot lead.
Purdy could only shoot a two-over par 73, and he missed a 10-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole to win in regulation. After the pair parred the first four holes of the playoff, Cink birdied after hitting a wedge out of a waster bunker to within six feet.
Leading final round scores:
274 - Stewart Cink 72, 69, 69, 64; Ted Purdy 69, 67, 65, 73 (Cink win on fifth extra hole).
276 - Patrick Sheehan 71, 66, 69, 70; Ernie Els (South Africa) 69, 70, 68, 69; Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 72, 71, 66, 67.
277 - Fred Funk 69, 69, 69, 70.
278 - Scott Hoch 70, 68, 71, 69; Justin Rose (Britain) 73, 69, 66, 70; Stephen Ames (Trinidad) 70, 68, 68, 72; Jay Haas 68, 69, 70, 71.
280 - Jonathan Kaye 70, 70, 68, 72; Darren Clarke (Britain) 71, 66, 71, 72; Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 71, 73, 70, 66; Jose Coceres (Argentina) 71, 68, 72, 69; Kevin Na (South Korea) 69, 68, 70, 73.
GONZALEZ TRIUMPHS
SEVILLE: Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez claimed his third European Tour title when he won the inaugural Seville Open by two strokes on Sunday. Gonzalez birdied two of the last three holes to close with a three-under-par 69 for a 72-hole total of 14-under-par 274 ahead of Britons Stephen Gallacher and Jonathan Lomas.
