Poston claims first PGA Tour win

GREENSBORO, N.C. >> J.T. Poston kept racking up birdies and pars — but no bogeys — at the Wyndham Championship. They added up to his first PGA Tour victory — and a first-time-in-decades achievement.

Poston shot an 8-under 62 on Aug. 4 for a onestroke victory at the tour’s regular-season finale.

He tied Henrik Stenson’s 2-year-old tournament record at 22-under 258, and became the first player since Lee Trevino in 1974 to win a 72-hole stroke-play event on tour without any bogeys or worse.

“I probably haven’t had that many bogey-free rounds this year,” Poston said. “To be able to do four in a row is pretty special, and finish it off with a 62 on Sunday is pretty awesome.”

The native North Carolinian began his round three strokes back, took the lead for good with — what else? — a birdie on the par-5 15th hole, then finished with three straight pars to earn $1,116,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points.

Webb Simpson was at 21 under after a 65. Byeong Hun An, who held or shared the lead after each of the first three rounds, threeputted the 18th for a bogey and a 67 to finish two shots back. Trying to force a playoff with a birdie, he nearly holed a 60-footer but had it run well past.

“Nothing was really working at the end,” An said. “I just ran out of juice.”

Poston, a former Western Carolina golfer playing a 100-mile drive from his hometown of Hickory, became the third player in 11 years with strong local ties to win at Sedgefield Country Club. He joined 2008 winner Carl Petterson — a Swede who grew up in Greensboro — and Simpson, the 2011 champion who’s from Raleigh and played college golf at Wake Forest.

“To be able to do it here in North Carolina, with a lot of friends and family, I don’t think I could have drawn it up any better,” Poston said.

Poston closed the gap with An with three birdies and an eagle on the front nine.

Then came the key hole: No. 15. Poston took sole possession of the lead with a birdie on that hole after placing a bunker chip 6 feet from the flagstick.

An, playing two groups behind Poston, sent his tee shot on that hole into the weeds.

CHRIS SEWARD — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS J.T. Poston holds the trophy after he won the Wyndham Championship golf tournament at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., on Aug. 4.