SILVIS, Ill. — All around him, players were making runs at the lead.

Steve Stricker didn't flinch. He simply outlasted them.

Stricker followed the lowest round of his career with 36 solid holes yesterday to win the John Deere Classic by three strokes.

Stricker, who tied the course record Saturday, fired a 7-under 64 in the fourth round after starting the day with a third-round 68 to finish at 264 for the tournament. That was good enough to give him his second PGA Tour win this year and sixth in all, not to mention a heavy dose of momentum heading into the British Open to go with the $774,000 winner's check.

"I've just given myself a lot of chances to win," said Stricker, now second behind Tiger Woods in the FedEx Cup standings. "Some didn't go my way and some have."

This one did because he showed poise and buried enough shots to hold off a tight field.

Local favorite Zach Johnson (64, 66), Brandt Snedeker (68, 65) and Brett Quigley (62, 67) shared second at 17- under 267.

Stricker's biggest challenge, though, came from Tim Petrovic, who was in his group and was two strokes off the lead heading into the final hole of the day. But he hit the pond on No. 18 and double-bogeyed the hole, leaving him at 16 under along with Matt Jones (63, 69) and J.J. Henry (66, 68).

Castle High alum Dean Wilson shot 69 for 7-under 277 and won $16,340.

ELSEWHERE

3M Championship: Bernhard Langer chipped in for eagle on the 18th hole yesterday to win the 3M Championship at Blaine, Minn., his second straight win on the Champions Tour. Langer's 7-under 65 gave him a 16-under 200 for the tournament, one shot better than Andy Bean.

Scottish Open: Martin Kaymer won for the second week in a row on the European Tour, closing with a 2-under 69 yesterday at Loch Lomond in Luss, Scotland, for a 15-under 269 total and a two-shot victory. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano didn't make a birdie until the 14th hole and closed with a 72 to share second with Raphael Jacquelin.

Wayne Gretzky Classic: Roger Tambellini shot a 2-under 69 yesterday to win the Nationwide Tour's Wayne Gretzky Classic by four shots over Blake Adams at Clarksburg, Ohio. Tambellini finished at 20-under 265.