Canada's Stephen Ames, ice-cool in difficult final-round conditions, cruised to his second PGA Tour title with a six-shot victory at the Players Championship last night.

Despite lightning-fast greens and thick rough at the Stadium Course, the 41-year-old held off some of the biggest names in golf with a five-under-par 67.

Although Ames made a rare slip-up by double-bogeying the par-four 10th, he reeled off five birdies and an eagle-three at the 16th to finish on 14-under 274.

After narrowly missing a 24-footer for birdie at the last, he tapped in for par and raised his arms in celebration as he secured the winner's cheque for $1.44 million, the richest purse on the PGA Tour.

World number three Retief Goosen, four strokes behind overnight, finished second after sinking a 12-foot birdie putt at the last for a 69.

Americans Jim Furyk (72) and Pat Perez (71), Swede Henrik Stenson (73) and PGA Tour rookie Camilo Villegas of Colombia (71) tied for third at five under.

World number two Vijay Singh and sixth-ranked Sergio Garcia had been tied for second place overnight but the duo dropped back over the opening holes.

Fijian Singh eventually signed for a 77 and a tie for eighth at three under.

Garcia, struggling with his putter, fared even worse.

The Spaniard dropped on the second, third and fifth and double-bogeyed the par-four fourth where he found water. Three more bogeys on the back nine gave him a 78 as he finished at two under.

Ernie Els made the most significant early run with five birdies in the first 11 holes. However, the big South African then lost ground before carding a 71 to end level with Singh.

Tiger Woods, never a factor at Sawgrass after considering pulling out because of his father's failing health, returned a three-over-par 75 to finish at one-over 289.

Ireland's Darren Clarke endured a frustrating day, dropping three shots over the final three holes for a finishing round of 73 for level par 288.

PA