MILWAUKEE — Bo Van Pelt started laughing just before his final putt.

He thought of all those times on his couch with his golfing buddies watching a pro fail in the clutch with a seemingly easy opportunity. Now, he'd left a second putt a little too far for comfort.

"Twenty feet, two putts to win, I'd get that done no problem, like that'd be the easiest thing," Van Pelt said. "Sure enough, that's what I had and, sure enough, I leave it 3 feet short."

Turns out, it was just the right distance.

Van Pelt, 34, won for the first time on the PGA Tour in 229 starts with a 3-foot birdie on the second hole of a sudden death playoff over John Mallinger yesterday at the U.S. Bank Championship and put 10 years of frustration behind him.

"It got to the point where I don't even know if I wanted to play anymore a couple of years ago," Van Pelt said. "Because I felt like I kept putting myself in these positions and it wasn't ever happening. It was definitely frustrating."

Van Pelt won $720,000 and the satisfaction that he's finally won on tour after finishing no better than second at the 2008 Puerto Rico Open.

Hawai'i's Parker McLachlin shot 66—273 to earn $31,657.

CENTURY CELEBRITY

Rhoden defends title: Defending champion Rick Rhoden held on to claim a record eighth victory at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship in Stateline, Nev. Rhoden, a former All-Star pitcher, finished with 74 points in the modified Stableford scoring system that was good enough to claim the $125,000 winner's check. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo placed second with 71 points.