Curtis finally collects his trophy, check

POTOMAC, Md. -- After making the winning putt, Ben Curtis pumped his fists and joined his playing partners in a bow of gratitude to the volunteers and superintendents behind the 18th green.

He had reason to give thanks. After all, it took him six mostly waterlogged days to win the Booz Allen Classic, his first title since the 2003 British Open at Royal St. George's. The Tuesday finish was the first on the tour since the 1980 Tucson Open.

"It was just a big relief to get it done and finally get this win," Curtis said. "I've been waiting three years for it and it finally came. We bowed to the superintendents because they did a wonderful job getting the course ready."

But there was hardly anyone to see Curtis complete the five-stroke victory. Fans were not allowed on the course Tuesday because the tournament didn't anticipate six days of security arrangements.

That left about 40 people, including a handful of fellow golfers, to watch Curtis tap in for his second bogey of Tuesday morning. The two harmless bogeys concluded a 1-under-par 70 in an event that dragged on because of rain.

Curtis began Tuesday on the 17th hole facing a 28-foot par putt, which he missed. He failed to get up and down for par on the 18th and wound up at 20-under 264, one shot off the tournament record.

Curtis, who earned $900,000, was five shots ahead of Billy Andrade (64), Padraig Harrington (66), Nick O'Hern (67) and Steve Stricker (68).