• Memorial Tournament, Round Four

Stricker holds on for narrow victory

Steve Stricker held on to win his first PGA Tour tournament of 2011 © Getty Images

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Steve Stricker has held on to win the Memorial Tournament by one-shot over Matt Kuchar and Brandt Jobe, finishing with a final score of 16-under-par.

Stricker held his nerve throughout the final round, despite having to contend with a two-and-a-half-hour stoppage in play due to dangerous weather. An errant tee shot on the 15th, following the resumption of play, led to a bogey which narrowed the American's lead to just two-strokes.

But superb up-and-downs out of the sand on the next two holes set Stricker up for the 10th PGA Tour win of his career, despite a two-putt bogey on the last.

"It wasn't pretty," Stricker said after the final hole. "It was a little bit of a struggle after the rain delay.

"At that point I was just trying not to make a mistake. I had a couple of chances early that would have taken the pressure off. And I made a couple of clutch putts at the end."

Stricker needed to rely on his short game to hold off the fast-finishing Kuchar and Jobe, who each shot a 65 on Sunday to post the best individual round scores of the tournament.

Rory McIlroy shot a 68 in the final round to finish the top-placed non-American in the Ohio tournament in fifth-place. Four straight birdies on the front nine kept the Northern Irishman in touch with the leaders, but an even-par back nine was ultimately not enough to trouble Stricker.

Phil Mickelson enjoyed a fine closing round of 67, although it threatened to be so much better after five birdies and an eagle before a final hole double-bogey left a sour taste in the mouth. Nevertheless, Mickelson finished respectably inside the top 20 at seven-under.

Luke Donald went one shot better, finding five birdies and just one bogey in a four-under round that left him eight-under overall - ensuring he remained the top Englishman in the field after Brian Davis also fired a 68 to finish at six-under.

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