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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, July 21, 2008

Johnson wins first PGA Tour title

Advertiser News Services

MILWAUKEE — Richard S. Johnson birdied three of his last four holes to shoot a 6-under-par 64 yesterday and win the U.S. Bank Championship for his first PGA Tour victory.

Johnson finished at 16-under 264 on the 6,759-yard Brown Deer Park Golf Course. He is the sixth golfer from Sweden to win on tour and seventh first-time winner this year.

Johnson, the first-round leader after shooting a 63, sank a birdie putt of about 12 feet on the par-4 17th hole to break a tie with Ken Duke at 14-under. He then birdied the par-5 18th from less than 2 feet.

He needed that final birdie to win because Duke, playing in his threesome, also birdied the last hole. Duke shot 65 to finish second at 15-under.

"It's been a great week," said Johnson. "It started out that first day. ... I made that hole-in-one and all of a sudden it felt like I could make some birdies."

Dean Wilson, a Castle High alum, fired a 65 and finished tied for third at 13-under 267. He won $208,000, along with Chad Campbell (65) and Chris Riley (66).

Johnson moved up 110 spots on the FedEx Cup points list, from No. 221 to No. 111. He also earned a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

ELSEWHERE

LPGA State Farm Classic: Second-year LPGA golfer Ji Young Oh won her first tournament, sinking a 6-inch putt for par to win the State Farm Classic at Springfield, Ill., in a playoff over rookie Yani Tseng.

Oh, who shot three consecutive 66s, carded a 69 yesterday to finish regulation at 18-under 270. Tseng, the third-round leader, shot 72 yesterday.

3M Championship: R.W. Eaks won the Champions Tour 3M Championship at Blaine, Minn., posting the lowest score in the tournament's 16-year history.

Eaks shot a 7-under 65 in the final round to finish with a 54-hole total of 193, four shots better than Ed Dougherty's finish in 2000. Gary Hallberg and Bernhard Langer tied for second at 17-under 199.