• Players Championship, Round Four

Clark claims first PGA title with stunning final-round 67

Tim Clark was in great forms on the green and sunk a testing putt for par on the last to seal a one-shot win © Getty Images

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Tim Clark produced a gutsy bogey-free final-round 67 to claim his first PGA title and ruin overnight leader Lee Westwood's chances of becoming the first Englishman to win the Players Championship.

The 34-year-old South African began the day three shots behind Westwood, who began the day one shot ahead of closest rival Robert Allenby, but took advantage of going out before the final pair as he reeled in the leaders and then passed them with a run of five birdies in six holes mid-way through his round.

Clark narrowly missed makeable birdie putts to establish a three shot lead at 16 and 17 but responded superbly to hole a tricky six-footer at the last to set the clubhouse lead at 16-under. Allenby birdied the par-five 16th to move to within a shot of Clark's lead but failed to capitalise on a great tee shot at 17 and sprayed his approach at the final hole to the right of the green as he chased the birdie needed to force a play-off.

Two shots off the lead and needing to make a two at the infamous 17th, Westwood took aim at the flag but hit his tee shot fat and found the water and his fading challenge was over. The man from Worksop showed great heart throughout the day with several gutsy par saves but another missed chance at a high-profile event will only add fuel to those who argue he lacks the game to finish off events.

Westwood can look at the plight of Clark and take heart though. The diminutive South Africa, known on tour as the 'penguin', had eight second-place finishes on the PGA Tour to his name before this event and a clearly delighted Clark pointed to his success with the putter as the focal point of his deserved win.

"It was sort of like yesterday in that I got really comfortable out there," Clark said. "I was seeing the shots and again putting great which has been the key this week. "I've been reading the greens as good as I could've read them and that gives you a lot of confidence out there.

"I came out today and showed what I can do on the golf course and I am very pleased."

World No. 4 Westwood eventually finished in a tie for fourth on 12-under and while admitting to playing poorly over the weekend was quick to focus on the positives of another event at which he contended right until the end.

"I didn't play well enough," Westwood told Sky Sports. "I played pretty averagely really and didn't strike the ball so well.

"The greens got firm and it got harder. Not making birdie at 16 was pivotal after hanging on for much of the day. Then I had to take the flag on at 17 and it was always going to be a big pitching wedge to a flag 147 yards away.

"The course was a bit easier over the first two days but as it got harder you really needed to be on your game.

"The flags were accessible today. I didn't play that great all week and to be in the lead going into the last day was a real bonus so I will keep working on the things i have been and hope that they stand up a bit better under the pressure."

2009 US Open winner Lucas Glover remained in touch for much of the day but struggled to find the birdies required to drag himself close enough to the leaders to become a threat. Glover has struggled for form since claiming his maiden major title at Bethpage Black last year and will be buoyed by his efforts at Sawgrass, as he came home in 31 to seal a two-under-par final round of 70 and claim third place outright on 14-under.

Francesco Molinari failed to reproduce the heroics of his second-round 65 over the weekend but will have learned a lot from his best finish on the PGA Tour after a final-round 73 saw him finish on 110under in ninth.

Phil Mickelson never got close enough to challenge the leaders but still provided plenty of magical moments to entertain the crowd, including a beautiful low chip into the heart of the hole at the 16th. The world No. 2 shot 74 to finish in a tie for

Tiger Woods' woes continued as he managed only six holes of play in his final round before pulling out with a neck injury.

Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell both endured frustrating weekends as they finished in a tie for 26th on five-under. Donald, who finished the first day one shot off the lead, followed up a third-round 72 with a closing round of 75, while McDowell stuttered to a two-over-par final round of 74.

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