Villegas wins US PGA event

Colombian Camilo Villegas has earned his fourth US PGA tour victory after claiming the Wyndham Championship by one stroke.

Colombian golfer Camilo Villegas

Colombian Camilo Villegas has earned his fourth US PGA tour victory at the Wyndham Championship. (AAP)

Camilo Villegas won the Wyndham Championship by a stroke Sunday for his first PGA Tour victory since 2010.

Villegas shot a 7-under 63 and finished at 17-under 263. He earned $954,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points in the final regular-season event.

The Colombian had four birdies and an eagle on the front nine, added a birdie on the par-5 15th and took the lead into the clubhouse.

He then watched the rest of the field stumble late, giving him his fourth PGA Tour title and first since the 2010 Honda Classic.

Bill Haas and Freddie Jacobson tied for second. Haas had a 64, and Jacobson shot 66.

Jacobson needed a par on the final hole to force a playoff, but he rolled his 11-foot putt inches past the hole.

Heath Slocum was two strokes back after his 67. Brandt Snedeker, Webb Simpson and third-round leader Nick Watney were at 14 under.

Villegas had to wait about 40 minutes after his round ended before his victory was secure. He closed his round with three straight pars, tapping in from about two feet on 18 and hoping it was good enough.

It was - because the crowd near the top of the leaderboard thinned itself out.

Watney was at 17 under and appeared headed for his sixth PGA Tour victory before he ran into trouble on 14 and picked up his third bogey of the tournament and second of the day.

He followed with four straight pars, leaving him needing a birdie on the final hole to tie Villegas.

He had one on Saturday - but couldn't do it again.

He wound up with a double bogey after his tee shot bounced past a cart path and out of bounds.

That came after Jacobson also couldn't catch Villegas.

The Swede's second shot on 18 fell short of the green and his 70-foot birdie putt from the front edge rolled well past the hole before he was wide with his par putt.

Congestion atop the leaderboard was expected after 12 players entered their last trip around Sedgefield within three strokes of third-round leader Watney, who was at 14 under through three rounds.

And Villegas wasn't one of them.

He began five strokes back but made a quick trip up the leaderboard, with three birdies and an eagle among his first five holes to move to 15 under and put himself within striking distance.

The other main subplot here this week was the last-gasp push for spots in the PGA Tour's playoffs, which begin next week at The Barclays in New Jersey.

Slocum, who arrived at No. 158 on the points list, was briefly at 17 under but slipped off the pace by closing with two bogeys that also helped keep him out of The Barclays field. He finished at No. 129.

Paul Casey, 125th at the start of the week, tied for 18th to put himself safely in the field. Martin Laird, who was at No. 136, was near the lead all weekend but his tie for 14th could only propel him to No. 127.


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