VANCOUVER, July 25, 2011 (AFP) - Sean O'Hair posted his first win on the PGA Tour in three years Sunday by tapping in for a bogey to edge Kris Blanks in a playoff at the $5.2 million Canadian Open.
It was the fourth PGA Tour victory for O'Hair, who started the fourth round three shots off the lead.
The win takes some of the sting off what has been a frustrating season for O'Hair who missed 10 of 17 cuts coming into the Canadian Open.
"It has been a humbling year," said O'Hair, who sacked two of his swing coaches this season. "I don't know what to say. It has been a tough road."
O'Hair, who turned 29 earlier this month, shot a final round two-under 68 to get into his first career playoff with fellow American Blanks as they both finished at four-under 276.
O'Hair won despite making bogey on the final hole as he two-putted after his tee shot landed in the rough on the unforgiving Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club course.
Blanks also missed the fairway off the tee. He landed in the greenside bunker and then hammered his chip shot well past the flag off the green. Blanks finished with a double bogey to hand the victory to O'Hair.
"I'm sorry he missed the put but the fact I won knowing he missed it was just overwhelming," O'Hair said.
O'Hair earned $936,000 in prize money and moved 104 places up the ladder in FedEx Cup playoff standings to 43rd. There are five weeks remaining in the FedEx Cup race.
Blanks, whose wife is from Vancouver, was seeking his first win the tour.
Blanks lipped out his bogey putt from just over five feet on the par-four playoff hole.
"I'm still a little (ticked)," Blanks said. "The more I think about it, the more I'll probably get upset at the shots I gave away."
Argentina's Andres Romero had a chance to get into the playoff but he made bogey on No. 18 after hitting his approach shot into the bunker.
Romero (70) finished alone in third one shot adrift of the O'Hair and Blanks.
The top Canadian was Vancouver native Adam Hadwin, who closed with a two-over 72 to finish in a tie for fourth with Aussie Geoff Ogilvy (70). Hadwin was playing on a sponsor's exemption.
"I felt like I was playing for my country," Hadwin said. "I had one goal for the whole day and that was to have fun. I got off to a rough start but things turned around on the back nine."
American John Daly shot 72 Sunday to finish in a four-way tie for ninth at 280 along with reigning Masters champion Charl Schwartzel.
It was the first top ten finish for a slimmed-down Daly in six years.
Leading final-round scores here on Sunday in the $5.2 million Canadian Open (USA unless noted; x won in a playoff):
276 - x-Sean O'Hair 69-73-66-68, Kris Blanks 67-71-69-69
277 - Andres Romero (ARG) 72-68-67-70
278 - Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 70-68-70-70, Adam Hadwin (CAN) 72-66-68-72
279 - Woody Austin 68-75-68-68, Scott Piercy 70-70-70-69, Bo Van Pelt 68-72-65-74
280 - Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 71-67-73-69, Spencer Levin 73-66-72-69, Patrick Cantlay 72-71-68-69, John Daly 70-71-67-72
281 - Chez Reavie 70-71-73-67, Josh Teater 74-67-73-67, Cameron Tringale 73-66-72-70, Bud Cauley 69-72-68-72
...
282 - Luke Donald (GBR) 70-73-72-67, Ernie Els (RSA) 68-74-74-66
283 - Greg Chalmers (AUS) 72-70-72-69, Charlie Wi (KOR) 73-70-71-69
285 - Matt McQuillan (CAN) 68-73-74-70
286 - David Hearn (CAN) 70-68-74-74
288 - Jarrod Lyle (AUS) 72-67-75-74, Peter Lonard (AUS) 73-70-73-72, Aron Price (AUS) 68-71-69-80
290 - Bio Kim (KOR) 75-67-74-74
292 - Alexandre Rocha (BRA) 76-68-72-76
295 - Brad Fritsch (CAN) 71-70-80-74
297 - Dustin Risdon (CAN) 75-69-76-77
299 - Fabian Gomez (ARG) 73-71-79-76
300 - Nathan Green (AUS) 70-74-78-78