Palmer breaks logjam on final hole

Ryan Palmer made a 10-foot birdie on the 18th hole Sunday to break out of a six-way tie for the lead and win the Ginn sur Mer Classic, earning a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

Palmer, who was at No. 143 on the money list with two tournaments remaining, had to call a penalty on himself and made bogey on the 10th hole, then took double bogey on the next hole with a tee shot into the water.

But he rebounded with a birdie he desperately needed on the final hole at Ginn Ocean Hammock Resort in Palm Coast, Fla., for his second career victory.

Michael Letzig, the 54-hole leader, needed a birdie on the par-5 18th to force a playoff. But his wedge spun 35 feet down the slope and he had to settle for par and a 73 to finish one shot behind.

Also tying for second were George McNeill, Nicholas Thompson, Ken Duke and Vaughn Taylor, who was at No. 129 on the money list and earned enough to secure his card for next year.

The final tournamentis at Disney this week, and the top 125 keep full privileges for 2009.

Champions Tour

Andy Bean breezed through 32 holes of play to win the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Sonoma, Calif., pulling away from the Champions Tour's best players for a nine-stroke victory over Gene Jones.

After finishing the last 14 holes of the rain-delayed third round, Bean then made six birdies in the first nine holes of a final-round 66 to finish at 20-under 268, blowing away the 29-man field.

Jay Haas also had reason to celebrate after the Champions Tour's final event of the year despite his 16th-place finish at 4-under 284. Haas claimed the Schwab Cup at Sonoma Golf Club for the second time in three years as the winner of the tour's season-long points competition.

Bean earned $442,000 from the $2.5 million purse for his second Champions Tour victory of the season, just the third of his career. Haas claimed a $1 million annuity by winning the Schwab Cup.

Haas won the Schwab Cup despite getting no points Sunday after finishing out of the top 10. Fred Funk and Bernhard Langer, his main competition for the crown, also didn't earn any points.

-- The Associated Press