Rookie earns close-shave first victory at Barbasol

OPELIKA, Ala. — Rookie Grayson Murray won the Barbasol Championship on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, holing a 5-foot par putt on the final hole for a onestroke victory.

Murray closed with a 3-under 68 to edge Chad Collins on Grand National’s Lake Course. The 23-year-old former Wake Forest and Arizona State player set up the winning par with a 40-plus foot putt from below the hole. He finished at 21-under 263.

“I was in control,” said Murray, who nabbed $630,000 for the victory. “I didn’t get out of my game plan once. I was going to let them make the mistakes instead of myself. I was going to make them have to birdie the last hole, or the last few holes. I was playing for par on 17 and 18. I knew if I parred those, they’d have to do something special to beat me.”

Murray missed the cut last week at the John Deere Classic and arrived in Alabama on Sunday to prepare. It paid off, the win securing him a spot in the PGA Championship in his home state of North Carolina though not the Masters.

Brian Gay had a 65 to tie for third at 19 under with third-round leader Scott Stallings (71) and former Arkansas Razorback Tag Ridings (69). Each won $182,000.

Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk, who didn’t qualify for the British Open, finished at 11 under after a third consecutive 68.

The final round started early on two tees because of a bad weather forecast, but the conditions held steady in sweltering heat.

Ken Duke (Arkadelphia, Henderson State) finished the tournament in a tie for 55th at 8 under and won $7,945.