Frazar beats Karlsson in play-off

Golf:American Harrison Frazar beat Sweden's Robert Karlsson on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the St. Jude Classic last night for his first PGA Tour title.

The 39-year-old Frazar, in his 355th career start, matched pars with Karlsson on the first two playoff holes and then parred the par-four 12th, which gave him victory when the Swede chipped 12 feet past the hole from greenside rough and failed to make the par putt.

"I never thought this would happen," said Frazar after his breakthrough win. "The last few years have been long and tough. It's been tough on me physically, emotionally. I wasn't sure this would ever happen, but I'm very proud."

Frazar, who had considered quitting the tour, battled back from season-ending hip surgery last August and missed five successive cuts this year before regaining his form.

"It just shows you how sometimes when you let your guard down or you let your expectations soften, you can free yourself up," said Frazar.

While the American finally tasted victory after four career second-place finishes on tour, Karlsson fell agonisingly short once again at TPC Southwind.

Karlsson, aiming for his first US Tour win after 11 European Tour victories, also lost here last year in a four-hole playoff to Briton Lee Westwood.

Frazar and Harrison both finished the regulation 72 holes tied on 13-under-par 267 after Karlsson shot two-under-par 68 in the final round, and Frazar posted 67 after making a bogey at the 72nd hole after finding water with his approach.

"It was a great match, and someone has got to win and someone has got to lose," said Karlsson. "This time it was me. I'm very, very proud of the way I played and handled myself."

Tied for third place on eight-under-par 272 were Camilo Villegas of Colombia (64), Japan's Ryuji Imada (66), American Charles Howell III (66) and twice U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen of South Africa (69).

Karlsson (41) who led after the second and third rounds, maintained his one-stroke lead over playing partner Frazar until the American caught him on 14-under with a birdie at the par-three 11th.

By then it had become a two-man race and the final pair matched pars in a tense battle.

The Swede opened the door for Frazar at the long par-four 17th where he pulled his drive into deep rough left of the fairway and made bogey.

Frazar gave up his one-stroke advantage on the last when he landed his approach shot on the fringe left of the flag and watched his ball spin away down a slope into the drink and made a bogey to set up sudden-death.

Karlsson showed his grit, by making an eight-foot par at the last to maintain the tie.

Pádraig Harrington had a final round of 68 for a total of 282.