Perks nabs Players title for first career victory

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Not many people knew about Craig Perks. No one will forget his theatrical finish Sunday that brought him an unlikely victory at The Players Championship and a trip to the Masters.

In a roller-coaster round expected out of a newcomer to such a pressure-packed stage, Perks completed a day of high drama with an eagle-birdie-par finish to become the first player to earn his first victory at the event regarded as golf's fifth major.

"You're unbelievable," defending champion Tiger Woods told him at the trophy presentation. "Absolutely unbelievable"

The 35-year-old from New Zealand closed with an even-par 72, a score that doesn't even begin to reflect his wild adventures on a firm, punishing TPC at Sawgrass.

"That was easiest 72 I ever shot in my life," Perks joked after his two-shot win over Stephen Ames.

He made only two pars over his final 14 holes, none after No. 10.

Perks easily could have seen his chances disappear when his approach from 199 yards on the par-5 16th came perilously close to the edge of the water. It hung up in the thick collar of rough just right of the green.

With his feet pressed close to the wooden frameboards, he holed the pitch from 21 feet for eagle to take a one-stroke lead.

He handled the next test with ease, finding land on the island-green 17th and holing a 28-foot birdie putt for a two-stroke lead over Ames, who closed with a 5-under 67 some three hours earlier.

Perks, who finished at 8-under 280, became the first player since Hal Sutton in 1983 to win The Players Championship in his first try. No one in the 28-year history of the tournament had ever made it his first victory. Perks won $1,080,000, the richest prize on the PGA Tour.

Rocco Mediate finished third after a 73.

Carl Paulson, the 54-hole leader by one shot over Perks, bogeyed four straight holes on the front nine and closed with a 77 to finish at 284, along with Sergio Garcia (71), Scott Hoch (72), Billy Andrade (72) and Jeff Sluman (74).

Welch's-Circle K

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Laura Diaz sank a 3-foot birdie putt on the last hole to cap a 4-under-par 68 and beat LPGA Hall of Famer Juli Inkster by a stroke in the Welch's-Circle K Classic.

Diaz, a fourth-year tour pro, earned her first professional title with a four-round total of 18-under 270. Inkster, who led after the second and third rounds, shot a 71 in the final round.

Diaz finished second four times and had eight other top 10 finishes last year -- good enough to win $751,466 and place ninth on the money list -- all without a victory.

"As much as it's been talked about -- all of my seconds, no victories yet -- I'm relieved," she said. "The question, 'When are you going to get a victory?' I got a victory. The question is over."

Grace Park matched the lowest round of the tournament with a 64 and tied Kelly Robbins, who shot 67, for third place at 273.

--From wire reports