Lehman holds his nerve

Tom Lehman emerged from a logjam to win the $3.2 million Phoenix Open by one stroke in his hometown yesterday.

Lehman made a crucial par save at the final hole, coaxing a seven-foot putt in the side door to end a victory drought of two-and-a-half years.

"Those are the putts I've missed more often than I've made in the past," said Lehman. "It was nice to make it."

After signing for a four-under-par 67, he watched as Australian Robert Allenby, playing behind, bogeyed the last to squander a chance of a play-off.

Allenby's nine-iron approach shot took a huge bounce off the firm green and trickled over the back. After a mediocre chip, he lipped out a six-foot putt.

That gave Lehman, the 1996 British Open champion, his fifth victory on the PGA Tour, worth $576,000.

He finished at 14-under-par 270, followed by fellow American Rocco Mediate (67) and Allenby (69) equal second on 271.

Third-round leader Frank Lickliter made a horrible start, dropping five shots in the first four holes to hack his way out of contention. He shot 74 to tie for 10th on 274.

Local hero Phil Mickelson, who started the day one stroke off the lead, didn't fare much better. He took the lead early but then backtracked by dropping four shots on the back nine to also tie for 10th.

Lehman, who started the day three shots off the pace, didn't exactly fire on all cylinders, but he did enough to get the job done.

He made two birdies and a bogey on the front nine, then added further birdies at the 11th, 14th and 15th holes, parring the rest of the back nine.

"I was playing pretty scrappy," Lehman said. "I didn't hit the ball very well, hit a lot of shots off centre. I feel bad for Allenby but a win is a win. I won without my very best and that gives you confidence."

Allenby, meanwhile, couldn't believe his approach shot at the last bounced over the green. He mistakenly thought Lehman had finished at 15 under and decided he needed to be aggressive, rather than play for the heart of the green.

But his decision backfired. "I thought I'd absolutely stiffed it," he said. "I wasn't planning on it bouncing over the green."