• St Jude Classic, Round Four

Westwood holds off Karlsson to claim victory

ESPN staff
June 13, 2010

St Jude Classic in pictures

Lee Westwood beat Robert Karlsson in a four-hole play-off to win his first PGA Tour title in 12 years at the St Jude Classic in Memphis on Sunday.

In the longest sudden-death play-off in the tournament's history, the Brit held his nerve to hole a six-foot putt on the par-four 18th to claim a long-awaited victory.

Westwood led for much of the final round, but looked to have thrown his advantage away after a bogey on the 17th, but Robert Garrigus' triple bogey on the final hole resulted in a three-way play-off after Westwood, Karlsson and Garrigus were tied on ten-under after 72 holes.

It was Garrigus who was eliminated from the play-off on the opening after the American failed to recover from hitting his tee-shot behind a tree on the 18th, while Karlsson and Westwood both saved par.

The pair were neck and neck on the par-three 11th and par-four 12th, but on the return to the 18th for the fourth play-off hole, Westwood's drive was 30-yards superior from the tee, and his approach shot left him with a six-foot putt to take the victory.

Garrett Willis and Shaun Micheel were tied for fourth one shot further back on nine-under par, after near-identical three-under-par rounds consisting of four birdies and a bogey each.

Heath Slocum recovered from a poor start to salvage sixth place on eight-under-par. The American hit four bogeys in six holes, but three birdies rescued his afternoon for an even-par round which saw him finish a shot ahead of Billy Mayfair, who moved up the field after four birdies on the final five holes.

Rory McIlroy slipped down the field after a disappointing final round 71. After two bogey-free sub-70 rounds on Thursday and Friday, McIlroy failed to keep pace with the leaders, hitting four bogeys in a final round that saw him slip to two-under overall.

It was a day to forget for Chad Campbell, who hit five bogeys, a double and two triples in a twelve-over 82.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close