Golf - PGA Tour:Carl Pettersson held his nerve to claim the Canadian Open title after long-time leader Dean Wilson saw his challenge fall apart over the final round at St George's.
Overnight leader Wilson came into the last day with a four-stroke lead after three successive 65s had taken him to 15 under par, but a damaging 72 over the final round opened the door for Swede Pettersson to take the title by one stroke at 14 under.
England’s Luke Donald finished in third place on 12 under after a four-under 66.
Pettersson’s three-under 67 was a world away from his tournament-record 10-under-par 60 on the third round, a score which hauled him from the brink of the cut to a share of second place overnight, but was sufficient to secure him his fourth PGA Tour victory.
“I still can’t believe I won the tournament,” Pettersson said. “I know it’s difficult to shoot another low one after a round like that, so I was just trying to downplay it. I just tried to stay calm and [told myself] ‘Whatever happens today, happens’.”
Two bogeys over the first seven holes left Pettersson trailing Wilson by six, but a run of six birdies over seven holes around the turn brought him back into the hunt.
American Wilson just managed one birdie on his final round, which combined with bogeys at eight, 12 and 14 left him at two-over and just short of overall victory.
“If you would have told me before the week that I could be second alone, I would have been tickled,” Wilson said. “Being in the position that I was, I’m a little disappointed. But still, lots of positives.”
Pettersson could even afford a bogey at the last after seeing Wilson sink his fourth straight par.
“I felt like I handled it well coming in,” added Pettersson, who made the cut by just one stroke after carding 71 and 68 on the opening two rounds.
“I know I bogeyed the last, but after Dean didn’t make birdie I sort of [pushed] that putt up there.”
Behind Donald in third came a group of nine players in a tie for fourth, among them Bob Estes (71), Tim Clark (71), Greg Chalmers (65), Michael Letzig (65), Matt Kuchar (67) and Bryce Molder (70).