Lowest-score trophy second best for Garcia

Sergio Garcia clinched the Vardon Trophy yesterday for the lowest scoring average on the PGA Tour in 2008, but that was scant consolation after another disappointing loss, this time at the Tour Championship.

The Spaniard suffered his third tough defeat in less than three months when Colombian Camilo Villegas came from five shots behind in the final round before winning a play-off at the first extra hole at East Lake.

Villegas carded a closing 66, while Garcia shot 71 as they tied at seven-under-par 273, one stroke ahead of Americans Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim.

The race for the Vardon Trophy was so close that if Mickelson had birdied the last and made it a three-way play-off, he would have finished the season with the best stroke average.

Officially, the season has not ended, but none of the Vardon Trophy contenders plan to play again, so there is no doubt Garcia will collect the award.

But while the lowest stroke average is an excellent measure of consistency, Garcia desperately wanted to end his American campaign with a victory and add to the Players Championship he won in May.

A week after a disappointing personal performance on a losing team at the Ryder Cup, Garcia seemed set to bounce back as he took a three-shot lead into the final round, but he only had himself to blame for failing to convert that advantage.

He drove the ball poorly on the front nine as he struggled to commit to his shots, perhaps a little nervous as he tried to protect his lead.

After he fell behind with eight holes left, he was a different player, fighting back with two birdies, but in the end a poor tee shot cost him dearly in the play-off.

Villegas struck a decent shot to the back of the green, 45 feet above the hole at the par-three 18th, before Garcia pushed a four-iron that finished in a horrible position in the rough, with a bunker between his ball and the hole.

“It was just a bad four-iron,” admitted Garcia, who misjudged his second shot and barely made it to the fringe, from where he came up way short with his attempt to chip-in for par and extend the contest.

“I thought I hit a better second shot,” he added. “It just came out a little softer than I thought.”

And so Villegas, who secured his maiden PGA Tour victory at this month’s BMW Championship, became the first player since David Duval in 1997 to post his first two victories on tour in consecutive starts.

The 26-year-old from Medellin collected prize money of US dollars 1.26 million, along with a £3m (€2m) bonus for finishing second behind Vijay Singh in the FedEx Cup play-offs. Singh received $10m (7m) for his troubles.

“After winning a couple of weeks ago, I told myself I will do anything I need to keep putting myself in that position again, and I did just what I wanted,” said Villegas.

“It was a little tough to play Sergio in the play-off, since we’re such good friends, but I’m sure he was trying to win, just like I was.”