SAN ANTONIO (Texas), Sept 29: Tommy Armour III set the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record as he coasted to victory in the $3.5 million Texas Open by a seven-shot margin on Sunday.

Armour fired a five-under-par 65 to finish 26 under on 254, two shots better than Mark Calcavecchia’s 256 aggregate at the 2001 Phoenix Open.

Defending champion Loren Roberts carded an eight-under 62 for a total of 261, his winning score in 2002. But this year that was only good enough for a second-place tie with Bob Tway (64).

Duffy Waldorf, who early in the round had cut Armour’s six-stroke overnight lead to three, came fourth on 262. Australia’s Aaron Baddeley jumped 18 places up the leaderboard with a 62 to take fifth position on 263.

Armour had won only once before on tour, at the 1990 Phoenix Open.

Sunday’s victory was worth $630,000 to the 43-year-old and gives him a playing exemption through the 2005 season.

Leading final round scores :

254 — Tommy Armour III 64, 62, 63, 65.

261 — Loren Roberts 64, 66, 69, 62; Bob Tway 61, 69, 67, 64.

262 — Duffy Waldorf 64, 69, 62, 67.

263 — Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 62, 70, 69, 62.

264 — Dan Forsman 64, 63, 70, 67.

265 — Frank Lickliter II 68, 69, 64, 64; Steve Flesch 67, 66, 68, 64; K.J. Choi (South Korea) 67, 62, 69, 67; Richard Johnson (Sweden) 66, 67, 66, 66; Paul Goydos 65, 64, 68, 68; Glen Hnatiuk (Canada) 65, 68, 64, 68.—Reuters