David Toms shot a sparkling eight-under-par 64 in front of a home crowd to erase a six-stroke deficit and emerge from a pack to win the US PGA Tour in Louisiana last night.
Phil Mickelson opened the final round with a three-shot lead, but played the first five holes in four-over en route to a 72.
The second-ranked player in the world had a share of the lead with Toms at 20-under, but hooked his drive into the water at the par-five 15th hole. He took a bogey and never led again.
Toms, a Cajun who attended Louisiana State University, was three strokes off the pace before playing nine through 12 in five-under. After Mickelson bogeyed the 15th, Toms birdied the 16th for a two-shot lead.
Mickelson was within a stroke with one hole to play, but Toms answered the gallery's chants of "LSU, LSU" by sinking a 22-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole.
That sealed the win for Toms, who played the final 36 holes in 17-under and finished at 22-under 266, good for his fourth title in 154 PGA Tour events and the $720,000 - top prize.
Mickelson was second at 20under 268. Like Toms, he won in his hometown of San Diego this season, but has been unable to break through for another title, finishing in the top three five times.
Ernie Els of South Africa, who shared the lead at the turn, was third at 19-under 269. The world number three has just one title since February 1999.
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