• Verizon Heritage

Honesty costs Davis dear in Verizon Heritage play-off

Jim Furyk dons the winner's jacket in front of his family © Getty Images

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Jim Furyk held off the sustained challenge of world 166 Brian Davis to win the Verizon Heritage after a play-off on Sunday.

Furyk began the final round one stroke ahead of London-born Davis, who momentarily snatched the lead from the American's grasp down the inward nine. However, bogeys from Davis at the 15th and 16th holes allowed Furyk to reclaim that slender advantage, only to then see Davis birdie the 18th to tie the scores on 13-under.

Having got down in three at the par-four 18th to force the play-off, Davis would have fancied his chances of clinching a maiden PGA Tour title on the same hole. However, a moment of honour cost him his chance for victory.

Sending his approach to the green into the rough, Davies then called a foul against himself as he clipped a piece of loose impediment when drawing his club back to play his recovery shot. After a lengthy period of drama, the match referee confirmed a penalty against Davis, whose honesty effectively cost him a shot at the title.

The pair's two-horse race was battled out ahead of two players tied for third, including Luke Donald. The Englishman began the day with genuine championship hopes just two shots off the lead, but he mixed six birdies with five bogeys on the final day to finish on 10-under. Donald was joined by Bo Van Pelt, whose 69 could have been so much better had he not bogeyed three of the final six holes.

Camilo Villegas failed to fire himself into contention during the final round, failing to build significantly on his promising Saturday score of 67. The Colombian, who has been in solid form this year, hit five birdies but also dropped four bogeys to end up tied for fifth on nine-under.

America's Chris Blanks equalled Villegas's total, hitting his second 68 of the tournament to earn himself a greater share of the prize money. Blanks and Villegas were joined on nine-under by Ricky Barnes, who failed to break par as his challenge ebbed away. Woody Austin should have joined the group, but he hit a disastrous eight on the par-four 18th to drop down to 22nd place.

Heath Slocum and Nick O'Hern also disappointed by hitting 72 and 71 respectively to land on eight-under, but Rickie Fowler and Stuart Appleby will be left with decidedly more positive emotions, despite finishing on the same score. Both players eagled the par-five second hole on their way to four-under 67s to share a tie for eighth.

After an up-and-down tournament, Paul Casey's challenge came to an unspectacular end with a two-under round of 69. Casey began on Thursday with a four-over 75, but a second-round 65 appeared to have begun his charge towards the top of the leaderboard. However, follow-up efforts of 70 and Sunday's 69 saw him tie for 22nd, with a double-bogey at the 16th damaging his final round.

Elsewhere, Zach Johnson ruined all his hard work over the opening three rounds, carding a six-over 77 that left the American scratching for even a hint of form on his way to a competition tally of one-under. Double-bogeys at the eighth and 14th were the low points for Johnson.

And it proved to be a frustrating final day for Greg Owen too, who hit back-to-back double-bogeys at 13 and 14. A five-over 76 sent the Englishman back to the clubhouse for a final time on even par for the tournament.

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